Beloved Brother: 25 Oneshots for Itachi and Sasuke
by Bubbel97
Summary: 25 mini stories with the Uchiha brothers. Brotherly fluff, some ItaSasu. Premassacre.
1. Nightmare

**This story is made of one-shots about Itachi and Sasuke. Most of them will be premassacre. And a little bit ItaSasu later on.  
**

**1. Nightmare**

* * *

In the cover of night, as the moon was floating on the sky, a little child turned around in his bed restlessly.

"No... no", he whispered shakily. He was crouched up to a ball under the covers, hugging himself tightly. He whined in his sleep and some tears escaped his eyes as he snapped them open, gasping for dear life as he groggily woke up. Sasuke Uchiha had had a nightmare again.

Suddenly, he froze when he heard a sound in the perfectly quiet house. His bedroom door was slightly open and it was brighter in the hallway; moonlight shone into the rooms through the windows. He heard the sound again, this time a bit closer.

That noise... it sounded like slow footsteps, and they seemed to be echoing through the rooms, into his own. He knew that both his brother and his parents were at home and asleep, but what if one of them were sleepwalking?

"Mom?" he called out with a weak, scared voice.

No answer.

The slow, heavy footsteps continued to sound as they went over the wooden floor. They approached his door, and Sasuke's heart raced. He was terrified; he sensed that this person was not anyone from his family. He hid himself under his blanket, almost too afraid to even breath, and waited with all his senses alert.

The door opened and he could hear heavy breathing and an unfamiliar smell - was it alcohol? he wondered. By now, he was trembling and ice-cold from fear.

"You..." A harsh male voice spoke out. "Turhn...arhounhd..."

Sasuke did as he was told, too afraid to refuse. He just saw a tall man standing there with a knife in his hand, before he turned around again and shut his eyes close.

He screamed. A high, ear-splitting loud sound of deepest fear. He didn't even care that his dad would be disappointed with him if he saw how helpless and scared he was right now. _I'm going to die, _his mind told him, _that man is going to kill me!  
_  
Over the sound of his own loud heartbeats pounding all the way up in his head he could hear the man take a few further steps towards him, before a loud thud was heard. The six-year-old Sasuke could just wait in his bed and clutch the sheets helplessly as he heard more sounds.

He buried his face in his pillow but he could tell that something was happening in his room - it sounded like something, or _somebody_ was violently slammed into the wall or the floor. He could hear strangled pants and shouts... as if there was a minor fight. And so the sound of something, probably a kunai, which flew through the air and the awful sound of skin that was violently pierced...

And silence.

Sasuke was trembling violently but he didn't feel any pain, so he could assume to himself that he had not been the target for whoever was in his room. He heard lighter footsteps coming towards his bed now. Just when he thought that he couldn't take it anymore, a familiar, worried but somehow strained voice called out:

"Sasuke?"

His whole being relaxed upon hearing that voice. Itachi gently ripped his blanket of him, exposing his scared and still trembling little body.

"Are you alright?"

Sasuke nodded weakly. Then he noticed the smell of blood and he looked up at his brother who was leaning over him.

"N-nii-san? What...happened? A-ar-are you hurt?"

Itachi, who recently had turned thirteen, lifted Sasuke up in his arms bridal style.

"I'm fine. Don't worry, otouto. He won't come back. But you'll sleep with me for tonight, though."

"Why, aniki?" Sasuke asked as he was being carried to his brother's room through the darkness.

"I want to make sure that you won't get hurt", Itachi reassured him lightly, although there was something darker in his voice. With a slight wince, Sasuke recognized it as maliciousness. Itachi tried to hide it, but this time his facade was unsteady. He was furious, no, _murderous._

"I didn't mean that" - Sasuke yawned involuntary - "Why won't he come back, nii-san? Who was he?"

His older brother gritted his teeth. "I don't know, otouto. Some madman, who had broken into our house. He probably intended to steal something, but was drawn to your room." The prodigy had already understood the course of events.

"Did you kill him, nii-san?" Sasuke wondered as Itachi entered his room. He could sense that something like that had happened, because of the violently sounds, the sudden silence and the fact that Itachi himself was unhurt.

"...Yes."

Itachi's voice was emotionless. Sasuke knew that he hated to bring harm to other people, except in certain cases. Maybe this was one of them.

"What was I supposed to do when a villain threats my little brother?" he growled, angry upon remembering the event.

He gently placed Sasuke on his bed, closest to the wall. "I'll be right back otouto. I'll just make sure there's no other out there."

Sasuke snuggled under the covers and inhaled the soothing and comforting scent of his Nii-san. He loved that smell. He felt so safe when he was in Itachi's presence or something that belonged to him. But he still was tense and shocked from the unpleasant experience.

He gave a slight start when a warm hand was placed on his back, but it was just his brother's. The elder laid down beside him.  
He wrapped the warm covers around them and Sasuke nuzzled his chest, gripping his big brother's shirt tightly. Itachi hugged his little sibling gently and held him close against him to give him comfort. He could feel Sasuke's tense little body slowly relaxing and his breathing turn slower.

"Thank you, nii-san", the younger boy whispered. Itachi himself was calmer now when he had his little brother close to him. No one could hurt Sasuke now.

"Not at all, otouto. You can sleep in peace, I'm here." He kissed his brother's forehead. And Sasuke fell asleep in his Itachi's arms, perfectly sheltered.

When morning came, ever so smoothly and bright, Sasuke woke up after a peaceful night. He rushed to his room - was it true that his Nii-san had killed the man who had tried to harm him?

But there was no blood on the floor, no corpse. Little Sasuke was confused.

"Nii-san?" he asked his brother who came in after him.

"Yes?"

"What happened to the man who was here this night?"

"Who?" Itachi asked confused, tilting his head to the side. "Was somebody here?"

"Yes... you know, he who tried to hurt me?"

At first Itachi looked upset, then his facial expression softened and he laughed a bit.

"Foolish little otouto", he smiled and poked Sasuke's forehead, "It was only a dream, don't you remember? You screamed in middle of the night because you had a nightmare, and I carried you to my bed."

"A nightmare? Nothing more?" Sasuke asked wide-eyed. Itachi smiled at his brother's cuteness.

"Yes, otouto. It was just a nightmare. But no matter if it would happen for real or in your mind - I would still protect you."

.  
.

* * *

**This was chapter 1 of my 10 oneshots! I already have the most of them planned, there can be more than 10 in the end ;) Hope you liked it!**

**Please review and tell me what you think!  
**


	2. Candy Store

**2. Candy store**

* * *

"Nii-san! Won't you tell me soon?"

"No, just a little longer, Sasuke."

"Why, please? I can't wait any longer!"

"We're soon there, otouto", the older brother smiled as he guided his sibling through the streets.

"Are we going to the academy? I know this way…"

"No we aren't otouto. You'll soon see," Itachi chuckled and poked his smart little brother in his forehead. Sasuke, who was wearing a blindfold, pouted.

Itachi took his hand and led him into a little shop.  
When they were inside, leaving the sunny streets behind them, he finally removed his brother's blindfold.

"Happy seventh birthday, Sasuke!"

Sasuke's cute pout was replaced with a exciting smile when he realized where they were.

"Nii-san! We're in a candy store!"

Itachi smiled at him. "Go ahead and pick what you want, otouto."  
Although Sasuke usually didn't like sweets, there was one kind of them that he loved.

That's right. Tomato flavored candy, to be exact.

The child's eyes shone bright with joy as he rummaged through the little shop with childish excitement.  
Itachi let Sasuke search for himself, heard him exclaim things like: "Nii-san, look!" and "How did you know this, nii-san? as he did it.

Few shops in Konoha had the right kind of candy for little Sasuke. Itachi used to bring home tomato candy after missions in other villages and Sasuke loved it.

Itachi stroded around in the store among the shelves. Did they have some dango? he wondered, feeling something close to eagerness. Sasuke's happiness was rubbing off on him.

"Look aniki! A tomato lollipop! Chocolate with pieces of tomato! And… what's this?"

Sasuke had found a big container with chocolate sauce. He reached up to touch it.

"Otouto, be careful so you don't overturn anything", Itachi warned.

The words had hardly left his lips before a loud crash was heard, and Sasuke, who had climbed up on the shelves, fell to the floor together with their content.

The few other customers in the shop froze and looked at Sasuke. The child didn't notice this, he was busy with frowning. "Ughh!" he exclaimed when he realized that he was covered with chocolate sauce from head to heel.

Suddenly the sales girl and the other customers started to laugh. Itachi himself found it hard to not smile at his adorable little brother. Sasuke was sitting drenched in melt chocolate with a cute pout on his face.

"Nii-san!" he complained. "I hate chocolate!"

Itachi laughed, smiled warmly at him. "Too bad you're covered in it then, otouto. But I happen to _love _chocolate."

If Sasuke's cheeks hadn't been covered with sauce, they would have seen a huge blush there. Itachi turned to the sales girl, who looked amused.

"Please excuse my brother" he said. "I'll pay for it."

"It's okay", she smiled. "It's so cute!"

"_Sauce_gay", Naruto muttered who was in the shop together with Iruka.

Sasuke rose from the floor and tried to get the most of the chocolate of him, with no success. "Nii-san!" he complained again.

"Come with me, you can wash yourself off a bit at the bathroom", Itachi said. He stifled another laugh and followed his brother to the only bathroom in the shop. When they were alone, he bent down and kissed Sasuke's cheeks. The elder smiled at the sweet taste. He could sense that Sasuke was blushing furiously.

"Aniki, why-"

Itachi kissed his forehead. "Thanks, otouto. Now go wash your face." As his younger sibling did as told, he licked the chocolate off his lips. That made him wish that Sasuke could be covered in sweets more often…

Sasuke washed his face frantically, trying desperately to get rid of the chocolate. Naruto, who had come to see what was going on, laughed at him.

When he got rid of the most from his hands, face and hair, they continued shopping. Sasuke was still scowling cutely.  
When they finally had got what they wanted - Sasuke a tomato flavored lollipop and Itachi some dango - they walked home together. Sasuke took hold of his brother's hand.

None of them would forget Sasuke's sweet accident.

* * *

**Author's Note: Please tell me what you think!**


	3. Family

**3. Family**

* * *

"I hope it will be quick. There's a clan meeting after this, and you're coming, aren't you, Itachi?" Fugaku asked.

His wife laughed a bit. "Now, now, there's no need to hurry. This won't take long." She patted Sasuke's spikes.

Sasuke wasn't listening to them; he was busy with his own thoughts and looked at Itachi. His older brother looked stern at the moment, but it was just the lines on his face that made him look that, Sasuke knew.

The family was going to the clan's photographer to take the yearly picture of the four of them. Fugaku was irritated, Mikoto excited and Itachi didn't say anything. He just kept on walking beside Sasuke. The youngest Uchiha stayed close to him. He liked to be near his brother.

When it was time to take the photography, the four of them lined up in front of a bright yellow cloth– Sasuke in the middle between his parents, Itachi next to Mikoto.

"Smile, everyone", their mother said and placed on of her hands on Sasuke's shoulder.

Once the picture was taken in the studio, she admired the result but sighed. Sasuke looked over her shoulder.

Both Itachi and Fugaku looked pretty near angry, Mikoto was the only one smiling. Sasuke stood between his parents, with a look of innocence on his little face.

"Let's take a new picture", she suggested, frowning a little when she noticed the lack of engagement on the oldest boy's faces.

The lined up again and Fugaku grunted in disapproval. He was stressed.

Itachi still didn't say anything, and his gaze only softened when he looked at Sasuke. The little boy wondered what was wrong with his nii-san – was Itachi mad? But then again, the older brother rarely smiled these days.

A new picture was taken. Mikoto was clearly bothered by the other's – especially her husband's – grim behavior. Wanting to cheer them up, she suddenly pulled both her sons into a one-armed hug, with each of her arms behind their shoulders. "My boys", she smiled. "I'm so proud of you two."

Itachi actually smiled a bit, the grim expresson was washed away from his face a moment later. He reached out for Sasuke's hand. Sasuke took it, smiling as well. Fugaku seemed less stressed and he uncrossed his arms and placed his hand on Sasuke's head in something close to affection.

_Click!_

The whole family gave a start. The photographer smiled. "This picture is much better!" he called out and showed them.

"Why didn't you tell us that you were still photographing!" Fugaku barked, embarrassed over this less-serious picture of him. "I look…I look…_weak_!" he spat.

"Look, darling", Mikoto chirped and tried to calm him down. "You look fine. And how cute our sons are…!"

"They're boys, Mikoto. They're not supposed to be _cute…"_

She didn't listen to him. "Aww, look, Itachi, Sasuke… my angels!"

"Mom…" Sasuke protested, a bit embarrassed as well. Itachi ruffled his hair.

"It has been a while since Itachi smiled on a picture… you're too serious, darling. And look, they're even holding hands! We must keep this picture!"

"Delete it!" Fugaku protested.

But Mikoto didn't fall back. "We have to take another picture, just with our boys!"

After a while, Fugaku gave in. "But it must be worthy of viewing", he warned.

And so the brothers lined up. Sasuke was placed in front of Itachi.

"Smile" Mikoto ordered, beaming. Itachi placed one of his hands lightly on Sasuke's shoulder. "Smile, otouto", the weasel said. Sasuke looked up at him and met his brother's warm gaze as he did as told.

.

"Aw, this is _adorable!_" Mikoto chirped. "I'm so glad we decided to do this even this year!" She was rummaging through boxes and shelves in their living room.

"I wish we never did", Fugaku muttered grumpily. "I'm going off to the clan meeting now."

"Bye, darling", his wife mumbled, to deep in her joy to really notice. "Itachi, Sasuke…look here!"

"What, mom?" Sasuke asked. He was sitting in the kitchen, eating.

Mikoto's voice was bright with excitement. "I'm going to look through all your baby pictures again!"

"No…" Sasuke called out, horrified. He remembered all too well how all his aunties and female cousins had fussed over him from the day he was born.

It was always: "so _cute! _ He is so _cuddlesome!"_ It made him want to puke. He hated it when they planted kisses on his face and let their fingers sweep through his hair, saying things like "_Aw, Mikoto, so beautiful he is! So soft hair! And big puppy eyes! He grows so fast!_" like he was some kind of pet.

"Aren't you afraid of this, nii-san?" he asked, dispirited.

To his surprise, Itachi laughed. "They never took a single picture of me before I was six years old", he said, somewhat triumphantly.

"Don't be so sure about that, young man!" Mikoto said as she reached up to take down a blue, decorated binder from a shelve. "Aha! Look, Sasuke, here we have your pictures from when you were newborn!

Sasuke groaned. Whyyyyyyy?

"Come and sit here with me! I want to show you!" Mikoto insisted and gently shoved her sons at the couch.

"Do I really have to? I have homework…" Sasuke tried, to escape this.

"You're only seven, darling, don't try to get away! We'll have a great time!"

"You'll like it, otouto", Itachi said and helped to get Sasuke sit down.

"Fine. But don't fuss to much." Sasuke pouted childishly, crossed his arms as he sat down between his mother and older brother.

Mikoto opened the folder. "Here I've collected the first pictures of you, Sasuke, until you were two years old."

They were met by the sight of a little white band at the first page – the plastic bracelet he received at the hospital where gender and number were written. And several congratulation cards in different colors. And so, a picture of a little bundle with a round face and big, sleepy black eyes.

Sasuke's cheeks began to heat. "Mom… can't we just move on already?"

"Don't be embarrassed, honey", Mikoto mumbled, lost in memories. "I still remember it so clearly... You were so small and cute, Sasuke…"

He hated to be called cute. He wasn't a girl, for God's sake!

Sasuke's embarrassment grew even more when Itachi gently let his fingers brush against the picture, smiling to himself. "My little baby brother", he mumbled.

Mikoto smiled tenderly as they looked at the other pictures. Sasuke as a little baby, with his tiny fists clenched in front of his chest and some black, spiky hair visible. He already had his trademark duck ass hair from day one.

Itachi put his arm around Sasuke's shoulders and they looked at a picture where a six-year-old Itachi was holding his newborn little brother. Mikoto had written "Proud Big Brother – Sasuke's Birth" below the picture.

"That's my favorite picture of you two", she said.

The stark red blush on Sasuke's cheeks began to fade and he realized – although he never would admit it – that it was a bit interesting to look at the pictures. Except the ones where he was naked, of course. He was a bit annoyed – why did parents keep taking pictures of their children in situations where they wore no clothes?

"Let's see… You and Itachi in the bathtub… You and Itachi sleeping together in the same bed… when you were little you could scream your head off when I or your father was holding you… but you always slept peacefully with Itachi, so we put you in his bed sometimes... Look, here's a picture of him when he was just some months old!"

Sasuke smiled triumphantly. He looked up at his nii-san, and to his surprise and amusement his brother's cheeks were slightly pink colored.

"You're blushing, nii-san!" he exclaimed. "Ha! There _was _a baby picture of you!"

"No, I'm not, Sasuke", the elder defended himself. "Why should I…"

But it was quite obvious for Sasuke. He looked at the picture.  
The baby was like a copy of himself at that age, except for the lines below the newborn Itachi's eyes. He could actually admit… that that little bundle with pink skin looked _cute._

"You were cute, nii-san!" Sasuke said before he had time to stop himself.

Itachi looked at him with astonishment. Although he was good at conceal his feelings, Sasuke could easily read them now.

Mikoto giggled. "I thought you hated to be called or call other people that", she laughed.

Sasuke realized his mistake. But Itachi laughed as well. He leaned forward to kiss his brother's forehead. "Maybe I was, otouto, but you are even _cuter!"_

Now it was the younger's turn to blush sheepishly. "Nii-saaaaaaan!"

* * *

**Reviews make my day!**


	4. Time

**4. Time**

* * *

A eagerly little child was running up to Itachi, eyes beaming with joy.

"Nii-san!" Sasuke stopped in front of him, panting from his running.

"What is it, Sasuke?" the elder asked kindly. He was standing at the door in his anbu-uniform.

"Will you play with me today? Or go train?"

It was really hard for Itachi to say no, he hated to disappoint his little brother. But their father would be putting even more press on him and make him even busier if he said no to his missions, Itachi knew.

He poked his brother in the forehead. "I'm sorry Sasuke, some other time. I have a mission today."

It hurt Itachi to see his brother's face fall, but he knew he had no choice. But Sasuke soon looked happy again. "Maybe we can train together some other day!"

Itachi nodded hesitantly.

Two days later, when he was about to go off on another mission, Sasuke approached him again.

"Nii-san? Can you help me with my homework today?" he asked hopefully.

Itachi sighed inwardly, and gestured to Sasuke to come closer. Sasuke did as told, and was gently flicked in his forehead. "Forgive me, Sasuke, maybe some other time."

Sasuke pouted. "But nii-san…"

"Father may have time to help you out", Itachi said and turned away. He didn't want to see the hurt expression on Sasuke's face.

It seemed like his missions would never end, he just had one after another. This one was longer – he would be gone for three days straight. He wished for nothing but to be with Sasuke - train together with him, play, do homework... Just imagine how much time they would have if he didn't had his damn missions...

.

"Mother, why are nii-san always so busy? He never has time for me nowadays", Sasuke complained when Mikoto came into his room to say goodnight.

His mother sighed and sat down at the edge of the bed. "You know that your brother is very busy with Anbu and doing missions for the clan", she said. "Don't be so upset about it, sweetie. I'm sure he has some days off soon, and when you get older, you can even accompany him on the missions."

Sasuke didn't look assured. "I don't care about that", he pouted, "I just want to be with nii-san."

Mikoto smiled and stroked his spiky hair. "Right now, Itachi is out doing things to protect the village and the villagers. You know he cares very much about you, but he has his duty."

"I know", Sasuke looked down. He didn't want to be childish and sulky, but it was hard to resist sometimes.

Mikoto hugged him and chuckled a bit. "Sleep tight, honey. I'm sure your brother will be back soon."

She stood up and left the room. Sasuke stared out through the window, lost in thoughts as he stared at the black night sky.

_Nii-san is always so busy… And I don't want to be a nuisance for him… _That was, when he got a brilliant idea.

.

When morning came, Sasuke was happy to see that his nii-san was home again. But Itachi kept his Anbu-uniform on. "I'm going off to another mission, father wanted me to come along", he told his brother at the door. "This time it's a week-long mission." He looked at Sasuke sorrowing.

The younger boy noticed that Itachi looked very tired, but decided to not say anything about it, he didn't want to be fussing like their mother.

"Nii-san, how much do they pay you for each mission?" Sasuke asked.

His brother's tired face looked surprised for a moment. "Why do you ask?" he wondered, a bit curious.

"I'm just wondering, nii-san."

"Well…" He told him the total of what he got for a normal mission, without showing a single emotion. It was obvious that money didn't matter for Itachi. He did it for the village, Sasuke knew.

Sasuke watched his brother disappear, and then went back to the kitchen. He smiled to himself. He had a week to complete his plan.

Mikoto was on her way home from the market when she spotted one of Sasuke's aunts.

"Oh, Mikoto, you must be so proud of your boys", the woman told her. "He has been working non-stop for three hours now, although he is so young."

"Huh?" Mikoto looked behind the old lady's shoulder into her backyard. In there, she could see Sasuke who was eagerly weeding in the garden. Strange, she thought. He has never shown any garden interest before…

"Aunt Misu! I'm done with the whole garden!" Sasuke called.

The old woman turned around and smiled at him. "I must say, you're exceptional, Sasuke-chan. And in this heat too! Maybe you should become a gardener instead of shinobi?"

"Don't say that to his father", Mikoto laughed.

"Now, what do you want in return? Juice and buns?"

Sasuke walked over to them, with a serious expression in his black eyes. His cheeks were rosy from the heat.

"No, auntie. Actually I need... money instead. There's something I …"

"Sasuke!" Mikoto reprimanded. "You're just a child, you don't need money."

But Misu laughed. "Well, he deserves some after all this work. I haven't weeded in the garden for ages. Here, take some and buy some candy", she said and handed Sasuke some coins. His eyes lit up. "Thank you!"

"Are you coming in now and having lunch?" Mikoto asked her son.

Sasuke shook his head, eagerly. "I have to continue work", he said and set off.

Mikoto sighed. "Well, he copies his father and brother quite well when it comes to work."

.

"Thank you, Sasuke-chan. I never knew you were so good at painting!"

"Thanks for all help! You're a very good cook, although you're so young!"

"I will recommend you to my neighbors!"

"Thanks for babysitting my kids!"

"Take care, Sasuke. Thanks for all help!"

Smiling widely to himself, Sasuke walked home. He had worked hard the whole week now, he had rushed home from the academy as soon as school was ended. Nii-san would be home by tomorrow.

He looked at the money in his hands. He had even received more than what he had planned on getting from the start – everybody gave him gratuity. Sasuke grasped it firmly. Finally, he had enough.

He crossed the little bridge over the river, to get back to the Uchiha Compound again. He would have to hide the money well until tomorrow, but he mustn't forget where.

"Hey, Sasuke!" Naruto called from the other end of the bridge.

"Hey, Saucegay", Kiba muttered.

"What are you doing? Wanna play with us?" Naruto said and ran over to him.

"No..." Sasuke began. Kiba and Akamaru was running over to him as well.

"Wait!" he said when he saw Akamaru come running towards him. He had hardly said it before he had an eager and warm tongue in his face and found Akamaru lying on top of him, barking happily.

Sasuke's eyes widened in fear when he realized that he had released the money in his hand upon being glomped by the dog. A swift breeze caught the bills, and the coins rolled over the bridge, below the rail and fell down in the river.

"Get off me!" Sasuke screamed and tried to get up, to catch the money before it was too late. Naruto and Kiba eyed him disbelieving, not understanding what he was doing.

The wind had swiftly lifted the money into the air, and Sasuke launched himself at it, tried desperately to catch the bills but he ended up falling hard on the stones at the bridge.

Helplessly he watched all his collected money land in the river and float away.

"No!" he gasped. Almost all of the coins had fallen into the deep water and the bills were stuck at the surface, floating further and further away by each minute. He would never catch them.

All his work was gone.

All his efforts.

Sasuke stared at the river below him, appalled.

"Hey, what's wrong, teme?" Naruto asked.

Sasuke just rushed home.

"Darling, what's wrong?" Mikoto asked when she saw her youngest son at the door.

"I...mother..."

She hurried forward. "Sasuke? You've hurt your leg..."

"All money...I got... it's gone, I...I" Sasuke was reduced to tears. "Now I can't be with aniki..."

Mikoto looked at him questingly. _He has worked so hard... for Itachi's sake?_

"What do you mean?"

"I…I collected it.. for aniki's sake.." Sasuke started to cry. Now Itachi would never have time to be with him again.  
Mikoto couldn't stand seeing her baby like this. She sighed.

"How much money do you need, Sasuke?"

.

"Nii-san!" Sasuke ran up to Itachi. Itachi, just homecoming from his long mission, tried to smile, but he was exhausted. He had been awake for three days straight now, and he longed for just collapsing on his bed, and then wash off the sweat and the blood from his body.

He patted Sasuke's hair. "Hi, otouto. Long time no see."

To his surprise, Sasuke didn't try to take his attention, nor did he follow him when he went to his room. The last thing Itachi remembered was approaching his bed and then the sleep defeated him.

When he awoke, some time later, he felt much better. He must have been sleeping for nine hours at least, which was unusual for Itachi. Then he took a shower. It felt wonderful to get rid of the scent of his opponents' blood that had been haunting him the last days.

When he came out of the bathroom, dressed for usual life and with his hair still wet and untied, his father met him.

"Itachi", Fugaku began. "Shisui has been sent on another mission and we need somebody to take his place. This is a perfect opportunity to show the Uchiha's abilities."

Itachi knew where this was going. And he knew he had no chance to reject, although he had been out on missions non-stop for the last two weeks. He wished he could have some free time, just to be with Sasuke. He had broken his promise to the child so many times.

No, he thought. Now it's enough.

"I'm not going", he stated firmly. "I need some time off now..." He didn't mention Sasuke, he didn't want to put the younger in disgrace to their father.

"Yes, let Itachi rest for a while now", Mikoto agreed, who had been standing behind the corner. She rarely interfered in these matters, but there were limits to what a mother's heart could take. She knew both her sons were suffering.

Fugaku hesitated, but with an angry grunt he turned around and began to walk away. "Fine. You get two days off. But that's everything. Then I expect you to work as usual…"

Itachi smiled gratefully at his mother, before sighing heavily and turned toward his room. He had a lot of work to complete, though...

"Nii-san!"

That happy voice, that made Itachi's heart race, stopped him.

"Sasuke?" He turned around and his little brother stopped in front of him, smiling wonderfully. Usually, Sasuke would hug him enthusiastically, but now he seemed... more collected somehow.

"Nii-san, I have enough."

"Enough?" Itachi wondered, confused.

Sasuke reached out his hand with a proud and happy face. "Here you go, nii-san."

Surprised, Itachi stared at the money in his brother's hand. A part of his genius brain had already automatically counted it - it was exactly what he would receive for a normal mission.

Sasuke beamed. "Now I have enough money to give you, nii-san. So I can buy a little bit of your time. Please go train with me tomorrow."

Itachi was shocked, and deeply touched. He just stared at Sasuke for a moment - his cuteness, his innocence and his pure will to spend time with his older brother.

Sasuke was suddenly pulled into a tight hug - Itachi wrapped his arms around him and squeezed him tightly. "I'm sorry, Sasuke, I'm really really sorry. Please forgive me."

"...Nii-san." Sasuke smiled and rested his head against his brother's shoulder.

Itachi wanted to kick himself. How could he have been such a fool, never refusing a single mission or paper work? To see Sasuke like this, so desperate to be with him, made Itachi's heart swell and almost overflow with love.

"I should've taken the time for you", Itachi apologized. Sasuke smiled widely. "It's okay nii-san. I'm just so happy that you're home again."

Behind them, Mikoto was smiling too. She knew Sasuke's greatest wish was to be with his beloved older brother. And Itachi wanted it too, although he had so much expectations and press upon him. Being with his little brother was the only thing Itachi truly enjoyed in life.

"I love you, Sasuke" Itachi whispered. He swore that he from now on would spend at least half of his wake time with Sasuke.

Mikoto could only smile as he watched them get up. Sasuke grabbed his brother's hand with the joy beaming from him, and they walked out through the door to go training or playing or something, or just be with each other.

Her beautiful boys. It warmed her heart so much, to see them be together. The affection Itachi always showed towards his younger brother, and Sasuke's pure adoration for his nii-san.

It was worth living for.


	5. Breath

**5. "Breath"**

"Catch it! Sasuke, Naruto, your turn!"

Sasuke took a deep a breath and was soon spurting after the ball, moving so fast that he almost became invisible. Accompanied by the girls' screams and squeals: "Go, Sasuke! Go for it! I know you can make it! You're awesome!" he made his way over the large field.

The kid pressed himself to his edge, determined to catch the ball before Naruto did. At the other end of the plan, Iruka and the other children in their academy class were watching them.

This would be the perfect moment to show everybody that Naruto was nothing but a fool. A fool that always was picking on him.

With this thought in mind, Sasuke gritted his teeth. When Naruto came close to him, in a attempt to get him out of the way, he punched the blonde boy aside in a flash. Sasuke watched the soccer ball that Iruka had kicked away slowing down in front of him.

No way that Naruto would be able to catch it. _I will win this_, Sasuke told himself.

"I'm not going to lose to you, teme!" Naruto screamed to him from behind, just as determined.

Sasuke smiled triumphantly. Too bad, that loser had no chance. With strained breath he launched himself at the ground and felt his ego blossom when he got his hands on the white ball. But just when Sasuke thought about how proud his father would be if he knew, his breath hitched.

The raven-haired's eyes widened in surprise and he gasped, let go of the soccer ball instinctively.

_It feels like …I can't breathe. I can't get enough air…_

Taking advantage of Sasuke's miss, Naruto threw himself to the ground as well, trying to grab the ball. Sasuke gave a start and the suffocating feeling disappeared. No, Naruto wouldn't be winning over him!

Using his last strength, he reached out to grab it. Both the boys were panting heavily from the run, trying their best to win.

Sasuke had just got his hands on the ball again when that sudden feeling of not getting enough air hit him again. He felt a pressure on his chest, and he began coughing wildly.

After some seconds, Naruto realized what he was doing and stopped trying to pry the ball from his grip.  
Sasuke was kneeling on the ground, horrified. _I can't breathe! What is wrong with me?_

He coughed more and more, realized that it was coming up phlegm from his throat. He could only hear his own raspy coughs, the somehow wheezing sound from his breaths and Naruto's worried voice as he leaned over him, shook his shoulder.

"Sasuke! Hey, teme, what's wrong?" the blonde asked him. And Iruka and some other children came running against them, wondering what was wrong.

Sasuke supported his weight with his arms and felt his coughs slowly fade away. But Iruka didn't let him train anymore that day.

.

.

"That damn Uchiha… always so damn 'cool'. I'm so fed up with that bragging."

"What's special with him, anyway? Just some favored brat…"

The other boys' gnarly and grumpy voices were clearly audible from the other side of the wall. Itachi, who just had finished a hard training session and was cleaning his katana, scowled.

One of them who was talking behind his back, was a former classmate from the academy, who finally had worked himself into Anbu a year after Itachi. He graduated from the academy three later after the Uchiha. The boy was pissed off with Itachi – already back in the Academy he despised the Uchiha prodigy, and now he hated the fact that Itachi was his Anbu Captain. Itachi had never cared about him and wouldn't be bothered, if it wasn't for the two other boys, who were from his own clan.

Yes, his own clan fellows were talking ill about him. He knew that all of them were jealous. Some hours earlier they had been present when one of Itachi's superiors praised him for his excellent work. Itachi had seen their angry glares.

Now he wished that they could stop talking about him. It wasn't only false critics – Itachi never bragged or tried to show off – he didn't deserve them. They couldn't do a fraction part of was he was able to do.

Itachi continued to clean his sword, happy that he soon could go home and be with Sasuke again and forget all stupid people.

"I wonder what trick he has got to make everybody so damn pleased with him."

"Does he have a single weak point?" One of his clan fellows grumped.

Itachi flinched. Were they planning on ambushing him?

"…I don't know. I've known him since the academy days, and they say that he never once have cried in his life."

Itachi gritted his teeth in silent anger. They were depicting him as a heartless, flawless bastard. Didn't they know that everybody have flaws, weak points? He was far away from perfect.

Fed up with this, he decided to go home now. It was late afternoon and he'd been sitting in the Hokage building for endless hours today, receiving orders and leaving mission reports.

He threw the door open and walked into the room where the three others were sitting. It was the only exit. They looked up at him when he entered the room.

"Here he comes", one of his clan members muttered.

His former classmate shared a look with the others and spoke up bravely:

"Itachi, don't go thinking that I'm going to receive orders from you like some fucking dog. I just want to warn you. I'm even better than you, you're just favored, you piece of shit."

Itachi didn't look at them. He walked past them, with straight back and impressive Anbu captain uniform on. His voice was calm, almost expressionless, just with a thin hint of something else when he said:

"By the way, I'm supposed to tell you that your next mission is cancelled."

"Why?"

"Danzo-sama wanted me to come along instead", he said nonchalantly, but still keeping his voice polite.

Itachi could hear appalled gasps behind him and a furious whisper: "Bastard...!" and he hid his smirk and left the building. That was his little revenge.

It was true that he was going to replace his former classmate, but to tell him this way… the boy's shocked gasp and angry whisper was priceless. He met Shisui some minutes later, his friend had apparently watched the events.

"He is furious", he told Itachi gloatingly and they did brofist.

.

Sasuke was lying in his bed, trying to fall asleep. He coughed slightly.

Why did he get that suffocating feeling at school today? When Iruka and some others arrived to the scene, he had stopped coughing and his breathing calmed down, although it still was strained. And he had coughed up more phlegm… had he got the flu?

When he was lying there alone in the darkness, other things haunted him.  
He took deep breaths, glad to feel that his lungs seemed to work normally again.

Itachi hadn't kept his promise. He was busy more often, although he tried to spend time with Sasuke when he could. But things always seemed to get in the way. Always training, studies, missions, reports, meetings...  
And things seemed so strange… the way his nii-san and father was looking at each other… as if they were mad with each other.

The seven-year-old child was worried. But he slowly drifted off to sleep, breathing calmly.  
It felt like an eternity later, when he woke up in the middle of the night by his father's angry voice:

"What do you mean? Why aren't you coming to the meeting tomorrow?"

What was going on? Sasuke slowly opened his eyes, realized that he only had been sleeping for some hours. He heard his father's harsh voice keep on barking to someone, probably his brother.

He got up and followed the source of the noise – towards the other end of the house.

He finally stopped in front of the sliding door to the front room. Quietly, he slid it open some centimeters so he could peek in. He saw his parents sitting on their knees in front of his brother, who also was kneeling. Why didn't they turn the light on?

Fugaku was angry. "You don't understand your position!"

"I have a mission tomorrow", Itachi answered sedately.

"About what?" their father barked.

"…I can't tell you. It's a top secret mission."

Fugaku reproved Itachi some more, waiting for an answer. Sasuke shivered in the cold night air and saw his brother bow his head, as if he was thinking. Then he spoke up:

"Sasuke, after using the bathroom, go straight back to sleep."

Their mother gasped and both the parents looked at the door, surprised.

Sasuke slid it open some more to reveal his presence. Fugaku got up from the floor, still angry. "What are you doing up so late at night?" he reprimanded his youngest son harshly. "Hurry up and go to bed!"

"…Hai." Sasuke looked into the room; saw his brother's grim face and his mother's closed eyes. They must have been discussing something quite important.

And that was when his next breath got stuck in his chest again. He gasped for air and began coughing wildly. The world was spinning. Itachi got up from the floor, worried, and their mother called his name.

_I can't breathe! I can't get air! I… my lungs don't work anymore!_

Sasuke coughed and coughed, felt fear began to rise in his chest when he gasped desperately for air but wasn't able to consume it. He panicked. His knees buckled and he wasn't able to stand up straight from the force of his coughing fit.

"Sasuke!" Itachi was at his side, and their parents stared at him. Mikoto rose from the floor as well.

Sasuke's throat was burning from the violent coughs. It felt like he was going to drown, there was no air to breathe. He didn't hear what they were saying anymore, the world was spinning in his head but he noticed their reactions becoming more worried, almost scared, when he continued to gasp for air.

And he collapsed in Itachi's arms, the last thing he remembered was his older brother's wide, scared eyes.

.

_It feels like …I can't breathe. I can't get enough air…_

Sasuke took a deep breath, barely conscious but still knowing that he could breathe more freely now. He slowly woke up, met the world with confusion.

He was in a white room – a hospital room – and outside the window it was morning. When he had orientated himself he noticed a familiar black-clothed figure sitting on a chair in a corner in the room.

Itachi rose from his chair, his eyes still wide, worried.

"Sasuke…"

"Nii-san…" In the same moment, that feeling as if he was breathing through a narrow drinking straw came over him again, and he gasped. Itachi hurried over to him.

Sasuke coughed some times and felt his breathing go back to normal, much easier this time.

"How are you, Sasuke?" Itachi hugged him, and the child could almost feel something pouring out from him – overwhelming fear and relief. He nuzzled into his big brother's neck as he felt those strong arms be wrapped around him.

"Do you know how scared I was, otouto?"

"I'm fine, aniki. I can breathe freely now, but… I was scared for a while, nii-san", the child confessed.

The elder poked his forehead, and Sasuke's face turned to a slight pout with flushing cheeks. "Nii-san, stop doing that!"

Glad to have been able to distract him, Itachi kissed him on the spot. "Don't be afraid, Sasuke. I would never allow you to die."

In the same moment, their parents came into the room. Both of them showed relief upon seeing their youngest son conscious. Mikoto sat down beside Sasuke, patting his hair. "You've got something called asthma, Sasuke. It's not dangerous – you'll get medicine."

Her son looked up at her, his childish face slightly furrowed. "Asthma? Is it because I ate too many tomatoes?"

This statement made the other family members burst out in laughter. Sasuke was too adorable.  
"Foolish little brother", Itachi chuckled.

.

"How do you feel, otouto?" Itachi looked at his brother, glad that Sasuke's state was found benign - he had left the hospital earlier today and got a inhaler. The doctors had said that Sasuke's asthma probably would disappear in a while.

"I'm fine", Sasuke smiled weakly, not really convincing. He went into his room and Itachi was standing in the hallway, hesitating. What if something happened to Sasuke again?

"You heard what they said, it's not serious", their mother tried to comfort him. "Don't worry Itachi, go to sleep, it has been a long day."  
But her words didn't help.

Feeling uneasy and worried, Itachi fell into a restless slumber. Forgotten nightmares were surfacing again.

_He was standing there again, looking at the bodies on the ground. Blood that was splattered in patterns all over the ground, the corpses and himself. Burning houses.  
_

_Itachi saw people holding bloody katanas, and he realized that he himself was holding a kunai.  
But as he made his way through the bodies, to escape from this, he saw his parents crouching down on the filthy ground. _

"_He is not breathing!" _

_Itachi's heart raced, and he ran over to them. He saw his little brother lying there with closed eyes and tears escaping them. And Sasuke was bleeding – a thick, crimson band down his chest. It had already colored his pale little arms blood red._

Itachi woke up, feeling scared for the first time for many years. It reminded him of the horrible nightmares he had had after the war. But this was even worse. He turned around in his bed and stared up to the ceiling, trying to see through the darkness. It felt as if it slowly seeped into his heart, darkening it.

_"Does he have a single weak point?"_ _"…I've known him since the academy days, and they say that he never once have cried in his life." _The words from his anbu comrades echoed through his head and the guilt was building strong inside of him.

_You're his big brother – you should've known about Sasuke's problem with breathing! What if he died? _The thought made Itachi flinch. _What if it happened somewhere else? _his mind continued to reprimand him. _What if you…_

He got up, feeling much too uneasy to be lying where he was. He made his way over to his brother's room, peeked into it. He listened carefully for Sasuke's breathing.

It was almost ironical - Sasuke was always the one coming to him during the night, now it was Itachi who restlessly seeked for his brother's comfort, unable to resist to check on him.

The elder brother went over to the bed. His otouto was fast asleep. Itachi suddenly realized that Sasuke had been about to die and it made him feel uneasy. He wrapped his arms around his brother's tiny body and listened to his calm breaths. It made Itachi's heart swell with protectiveness. Sasuke was so _small, _so... vulnerable.

He was standing there, leaning over the bed in the darkness and hugged the child tightly. It must have taken at least an hour before he could get himself to let go.

Then he swiftly slipped out of the room, closing the door safely behind his otouto. And this time he fell asleep much easier.

But Itachi didn't need to be worried in the least – some hours later, he woke up when a familiar little body snuggled into his, begging for warmth and comfort. He put an arm around Sasuke and held him close, and the both brothers drifted off to a peaceful sleep.

* * *

Thank you for reading! Don't forget to review! :)


	6. Heartbeats

**Chapter 6: "Heartbeats"**

**Author's Note:** Since I'm _really_ into this pairing, my mind can come up with 1000+ different ways of Itachi saving/protecting/comforting Sasuke. I apologize in advance that the following chapters will contain _a lot_ of fluff and protectiveness xD

And another thing: the chapters do not follow a 'red thread' – they're free-standing and do not have any connection to the others, but some things may come up in following chapters.

* * *

"Nii-san?"

"Hm?"

"Will you fight me?"

Itachi looked surprised at his happy little brother. He laughed a bit and ruffled the child's hair. "Why are you asking that, otouto?"

Sasuke pouted. "I want to know if I can defeat you, nii-san. I'm the strongest among the kids in the academy, so… I want to test my strength against somebody better."

Itachi smiled tenderly. His skillful little brother.

Well, if he was so eager… it wouldn't hurt to let Sasuke try although he knew that his brother wasn't able to take him down, no matter how hard he tried.

"As you wish, otouto", he smirked and one second later, he had his little brother pinned to the floor, gripping his wrists gently.

Sasuke frowned. "I wasn't ready, nii-san!"

Itachi released his grip, stood up and backed away a few steps. "Okay, then, tell me when you're ready, Sasuke."

His otouto's face was very focused as the younger crouched slightly, eyeing him as if he was measuring his skills. Itachi smiled hastily before doing the same, to show him that he believed in Sasuke's ability to fight.

"I'm ready", Sasuke said, and he had hardly said it before he launched himself at Itachi.

The elder, who had decided to go easy on his brother to not disappoint him, wasn't prepared for his little brother's attack. Itachi's eyes widened a fraction of a second when he realized that he of all people had underestimated Sasuke. The child was suddenly trying to tackle him off his feet, at the same time throwing his whole body at him, trying to overtake him with his weight.

Itachi soon mentally got back on his feet, recovering from his surprise, and Sasuke's smaller body didn't stand a chance against his. The 'fight' didn't last long. It was excruciatingly easy to pin the child to the ground again, but the elder was careful to not slam him to the ground with too much force. Itachi soon was sitting over his brother, holding his arms down and preventing him from moving.

Sasuke sighed. "You win, nii-san." Itachi kept his grip around him, sitting slightly on his stomach without putting any weight on him.

"Are you disappointed?" He asked, leaning down slightly to poke his forehead.

"No…" Sasuke muttered as he got the poke. "I'm actually happy. Now I have something to work on. It's too boring at the academy."

His older brother got off him. He sat down next to the smaller boy, still pinning him to the ground with his arms.  
Itachi went for his otouto's forehead again, this time with his lips, without touching his skin. "Sasuke", he breathed. "I'm impressed."

His lips ghosted over his brother's forehead. Sasuke's cheeks turned a slight pink, and he wriggled, trying to get his hands free.

Itachi smiled gently and leaned down, gave his brother a soft kiss on his forehead. Sasuke gasped and stilled. His nii-san placed his hands on his heated cheeks, stroking lightly.

"What's wrong, otouto?"

Sasuke stared at him with those deep, black eyes that Itachi himself had. They were similar in every way - connected by their blood, their genes. They shared such a strong bond.

"Nii-san…" Sasuke whimpered. "Can you… please do that again?"

Itachi bent down again, nuzzling their faces together for a moment, before gently kissing the younger's cheeks. Then he pulled back and looked his brother deeply in the eyes.

"Is this okay, Sasuke?"

The younger nodded, feeling completely comfortable. His eyes widened when he suddenly had his brother's soft lips on his.

"Nii…" His sound of surprise was effectively muffled by Itachi's mouth. It was a quite stunning sight – Itachi Uchiha leaning down to his little brother, sharing a sweet kiss.

Itachi was overwhelmed by how… _right _it felt. He loved it. Where did this feeling come from?  
He was careful to not force Sasuke to anything and pulled back after some seconds. His little brother was slightly gasping.

They stared into each other's eyes, astonished. Itachi had never intended to kiss his brother – he didn't know why but he just did. Was Sasuke disgusted with him now? You aren't really supposed to kiss your own brother but... he just couldn't resist.

The smaller's eyes were wide and wondering, he smiled slightly.

"Sasuke... I'm sorry, I shouldn't have..."

"Nii-san, listen to my heart", his brother interrupted.

"Huh?"

"Listen to it", Sasuke repeated. He reached up to pull Itachi down to his chest.

Confused, Itachi placed his head against his brother's ribcage and listened to the sounds. He could hear the soft beats of a child's heart, beating very fast. His eyes widened.

He lifted his head to look at his brother. Sasuke smiled softly, reached out his hand and placed it over Itachi's chest. "Your heart is beating very fast too, nii-san, do you feel the same as I?" he asked.

Itachi stared at him, and understood. He smiled widely, grabbing Sasuke's hand and guided it to his cheek. He gently nuzzled his face against the younger's hand.

"Yes I do", he mumbled.

"Let's get up and have some, then", the child suggested eagerly.

"Have some?" Itachi was confused.

"Have some tomatoes", Sasuke explained as if he thought Itachi was retarded. "Don't you feel the same need for tomatoes right now as I?"

Itachi frowned. That kid— could one be more random and tomato-obsessed than his foolish little brother?

He began to tickle Sasuke's stomach and armpits, until the child was giggling and laughing uncontrollably and struggled to escape. Itachi loved the sound of his brother's laughter.

"Nii-san!" Sasuke gasped. "Stop it!" He giggled as Itachi continued to tickle him, smiling. After some minutes, the elder sibling stopped.

"What was that for?" Sasuke gasped, pouting cutely. His brother laughed softly at his facial expression. "Nothing, otouto. But I have to ask you something."

"What is it aniki?" Sasuke was still lying on the floor, holding his hands over his belly protectively to prevent any more tickling.

Itachi looked at him gravely. "Do you like it…"

He leaned over and slowly pressed his lips against the younger's. "…when I do this?"

He pulled back, looking at his brother. Sasuke's eyes were big, his cheeks red.

"I…"

"Your heart is beating very fast, otouto", Itachi smiled.

The younger frowned. "Does that mean that I like it, nii-san? Because… I do", he whispered.

Itachi placed the child in his arms, hugging him. "Yes, it does. And so do I. Very much."

_Very, very much._

"Let's get up from here before mother wonder what we're doing." Itachi said and they stood up. Sasuke nodded.

"And…" Itachi crouched down, placed his hands slightly on the younger's shoulders. He looked at his brother's cute face. "Sasuke, you can't tell anyone about this. Let it be our secret, okay?"

"Must nobody know about this?"

"Nobody", Itachi said and smiled reassuringly. "Is that okay?"

The child nodded gravely. "I won't let anyone know about it, I promise."

Itachi leaned over and kissed him again, more firmly this time but still softly. Sasuke gasped into his mouth and tried to pull him closer.

.

_I still haven't defeated nii-san, _Sasuke thought. _If I'm able to do that, maybe father will be proud of me? It wouldn't be so hard to win against nii-san, I have seen all his moves… Of course, I would never hurt him; I just want to hold him down long enough so he can say that I'm able to do it…_

Sasuke had trained hard for weeks, to finally be able to take his brother down. He had had some more fake-fights with Itachi, without any success. Now he was going to try something new – the surprise attack. The child smirked to himself. _Nii-san won't stand a chance._

He slipped out from his room and tip-toed to his brother's. Itachi wasn't at home, but Sasuke knew that he would come home soon. And then Sasuke would be prepared…

Itachi's room was perfectly cleaned and very simply decorated. Sasuke knew it very well – when he was playing hide-and-seek with his cousins, he would always hide in his brother's room. His younger cousins didn't dare to enter the prodigy's room, so they never found Sasuke. And when Itachi was away on long missions, the little raven used to sleep in his bed at night if he had had a nightmare. The scent of his older brother always made him feel safe.

The young Uchiha made his way over to the perfectly made bed, and crept under it. Now it was just to wait for Itachi to enter the room, and he would leap out and tackle him! It was a perfect plan.

It seemed like endless hours for Sasuke before he heard steps coming towards the room. His head perked up from the floor and he peeked out from under the bed. He heard his nii-san's and Shisui's voices. At first he thought that they were discussing something, but soon he realized that Shisui was just bothering his best friend with his usual jokes and chattering.

The door opened and Sasuke automatically ducked, tried to melt together with the dustless floor. He only saw their bare feet and their bandaged ankles, moving into the room.

"…And you can be sure that that guy will never bother you again, Itachi! He was so pissed off since he got to know that you were taking his place on that mission…" Shisui babbled.

It was quite easy to tell that Itachi wasn't listening so closely. Sasuke was fully alert. Now his chance had come and he wouldn't let it slip away! He just needed to tackle Itachi when the elder was unprepared…

The steps came closer to the bed. Shisui had stopped at the door. Itachi walked surprisingly aimfully over to his bed and stopped in front of it.

Sasuke prepared to get up. It was now or never…

"Sasuke?"

The younger gave a start. _What? How on earth could nii-san know that I was hiding here?_

"What are you doing under my bed?"

Sasuke swiftly leaped out and tackle-hugged Itachi, quickly deciding to cover up for his failed attempt.

"Happy Birthday, nii-san!"

The elder Uchihas stared at him.

"Eh… Sasuke…" Shisui said.

"It's not my birthday today, otouto", Itachi said, confused.

Sasuke's cheeks became slightly flushed from embarrassment. He had said the first thing he came to think of, which happened to be 'Happy Birthday'! Oh no, he had really made a fool of himself…

"I'm sorry", he whispered. "I was just…"

"Don't worry, otouto, it's okay", Itachi comforted him, noticing his brother's sadness.

"Were you trying to attack him or something?" Shisui laughed.

"Actually… I have really… wanted to be able to defeat you" Sasuke confessed. "So I would make father… proud. I'm sorry nii-san…" His voice was almost inaudible from shame.

"Well kiddo, then you have to do as uncle Shisui and grow some muscles!" Shisui declared cheerfully, holding up one of his arms and pointing at his biceps.

Itachi snorted. "As if you ever have defeated me."

Sasuke was still feeling uneasy. His older brother ruffled his hair comfortingly. "I'm sure you'll be able to do it soon, otouto. Maybe you will get even stronger than Shisui!" he said, sending a teasing look to his cousin. Shisui glared at him half-heartedly.

"Actually, I would like to test my strength against you _right now, _Itachi!"

"Sorry, Shisui. I have promised to play with Sasuke today."

The child smiled triumphantly, grabbing Itachi's hand. "And meanwhile, _you _can grow some muscles so you can defeat _my _nii-san!" he said.

Itachi smirked at his friend as he let himself be dragged out of the room by an eager Sasuke. "Too bad, cousin. You're too far behind." Shisui gritted his teeth as Itachi's laughter disappeared down the hallway.

* * *

Review? ^^


	7. Beaten

**7. Beaten**

I want to thank you all for your reviews! You always make me smile!

And many thanks to my beta Bonnie-san, you're awesome!

* * *

Sasuke had not been many days in the academy when he first started to notice that he wasn't so popular. Of course, all of the girls loved him but many of the boys were jealous and didn't like him. They made fun of him behind his back.

Actually, the young Uchiha should not have cared, but some things were worse than others. That Naruto openly declared Sasuke as an arrogant fool and always competed with him was nothing of importance. He used to accuse Naruto back and competed as well. The raven-haired liked to 'show off' as the blonde would say.

But there were some boys who really hated Sasuke and he often heard them talk about him, saying really mean and unfair things, not caring if the Uchiha heard what they said. And Sasuke could put up with all of their taunts. But when they started to target him directly, things became harder to handle.

There were four boys; two of them were especially angered with the Uchiha. The leader among them, a tall, brown-haired and freckled boy started it.

When they would receive their test results he began to pick on Sasuke, although the later had gotten all answers correctly and the leader himself had failed totally. At first Sasuke just cut him off and held his chin high, not letting himself be bothered by him. But the four boys soon were taunting him together, laughing and making a fool of the Uchiha. And of course, they did it every time their sensei, Iruka, was looking somewhere else.

Sasuke found it very annoying to begin with, but it soon became even worse. Naruto's grudge against him didn't make anything better and the squealing girls were sickly irritating. Sasuke was so fed up with it. But he kept on doing his homework perfectly and getting the highest score out of all the 90 students in the whole Academy.

After a half of a year, things started to get really hard for Sasuke to handle. Not only was he always bullied during the lessons, at the playtime the gang started to challenge him in really unfair ways. They were getting him from behind or hiding his school bag so he had to search for it for hours afterwards.

One of them would be no match for him. But they were always four against one and they were taller and heavier built than the raven-haired.

"You're always so down these days." Mikoto remarked during Sasuke's day-off.

The child had begun to hate the academy secretly but he went there every day anyway to get his work done.

"Mom… I…"

The last thing Sasuke wanted was to appear weak in front of his family. He really didn't want to be the weak little child who was running to his mom when the "bad kids" were harassing him. But he couldn't stand it anymore…

"I'm being bullied at school", he confessed, "and it's so annoying…"

His mother frowned. "Don't care about them, Sasuke. They probably have lots of problem on their own and I bet that they just want to be like you."

But knowing that he was an offspring of the proud clan of Konoha, Sasuke knew that he couldn't bother with common, clan-less rats like them. His father had told him as much, so many times.

One day, when Sasuke was hurrying home from school to avoid getting targeted the four boys suddenly appeared in front of him again, grinning. They quickly dragged the Uchiha away from the road, straight into the forest. They ripped his school bag off him so its content spread over the ground. Then they held him still as the leader beat him.

Sasuke knew he wasn't the only victim, they had a sick hobby of abusing kids in their own age or younger. But today only he was their victim and there was no help to get.

The raven-haired struggled to get free but they held him in a vice grip and covered his mouth with filthy hands. Sasuke received hard punches to his stomach, legs, arms and face. He tried the best he could to be quiet, but when he got a particularly hard hit on his sensitive cheekbone, he couldn't hold back a whimper of pain. The boys laughed and he could see the malice in their faces – they enjoyed this and they enjoyed his fear, his helplessness.

Sasuke couldn't stand seeing the glee shining from their eyes so he closed his own tightly and tried to not show them how much pain he was in. He cursed himself when he felt his eyes fill with tears, tears of pain and anger.

He didn't know how long time had gone until they harshly released him and he tumbled down on the hard ground. "If you tell anyone we'll kill you." A final kick to his ankle, and the boys were gone.

Sasuke was lying on the ground, sore, hurt and feeling sick. He gritted his teeth when his eyes overflowed with tears. He struggled to get up, ignoring the ache in his limbs and quickly collected his stuff in his mired school bag. Then he ran home as if his life depended on it, not daring to look back.

.

"Itachi, I'm happy for the success with your latest mission", their father babbled. "You have really impressed the elders and I have decided to come along on your next mission so I personally can watch your successes. The Uchiha clan is rising in the ranks..."

The family was sitting around the dinner table; Itachi was participating in the dinner for once and listened expressionlessly to his father. Mikoto listened as well, respectfully.

Sasuke looked down at his plate, hoping that nobody would notice the deep blue bruise on his cheek. The pain in his body had almost disappeared now, but he still had a feeling of hurt inside of him. Somewhere in his chest he had another pain that refused to go away.

When he came home some hours ago he had rushed straight to the bathroom before anyone saw him. He had washed his face and hands thoroughly in an attempt to delete every trace of the abuse. He had gotten a big amount of purple bruises, but he covered the most with his clothes and bandage on his legs. He tried to cover the ones on his forehead and cheek with his bangs, and nobody had noticed yet. His white school bag – inherited from Itachi – was covered with soil but he had cleaned it and his school books secretly.

No one could know about this – what would they think about him then? The weakest Uchiha that wasn't even able to defend himself. His father would be so disappointed, Sasuke couldn't even think about it. _If I tell anyone, father will never recognize me._

But it was hard. When he was standing there in the bathroom, looking at his battered profile in the mirror, the feelings he had been trying to suppress for such a long time finally surfaced. It was too hard for a seven-year-old kid to handle this by himself.

He grabbed hold of the sink to support himself and cried his eyes out. The face in the mirror became blurred and endless streams of tears escaped his tightly closed eyes. He sobbed and sulked, feeling so sad and upset and shocked, not even caring right then that boys was _not_ supposed to cry. He wanted somebody to comfort him so badly… but he couldn't tell anyone.

Now he was sitting here, trying hard to suppress the urge to cry as he ate his food, forcing himself to swallow although he wasn't hungry. If he broke down now, he would never be able to hide from his family what had happened. They would force him to tell them and the disgusting truth about his weakness would be revealed.

"Sasuke, what happened to your cheek?" Itachi wondered suddenly. Sasuke froze, not daring to look at his big brother. His heart raced. _Please, don't let them find out…_

This was exactly what he had feared. It took every ounce of self-control he possessed to not burst into tears. He struggled to not let his voice sound too strained.

"I… fell", he mumbled.

Even if he didn't look at the elder he could feel that Itachi didn't believe him. The urge to tell his nii-san what happened, to get some comfort, was burning inside of Sasuke. But he didn't.

He forced himself to think of something else, still keeping his gaze locked to the table. He could feel that Itachi was examining him worriedly. The older brother was about to say something but their father craved the elder's attention again and he let it be unspoken right then.

When the dinner was finished, Fugaku and Itachi stayed some minutes to keep on talking about those missions and Sasuke hurried to get up and leave the kitchen. But when he looked behind him for a second he could see that his brother was staring at him intensely. The prodigy's worried, examining gaze burned Sasuke, who ran to his room.

.

Sasuke didn't ever want to return to the damn academy. But he had to. With a heavy heart and aching stomach the young raven put on his shoes two days after his day off. His bag was cleaned and his bruises were rather yellow than blue now. When he left their safe home and walked to school it felt like he was going out to war. This was a war, actually, waging under-cover. School went like always; it was a pain but Sasuke did as well as he could.

The day was longer than usual – the students had shuriken practice outside of the building at the late afternoon. Sasuke performed the best, of course. And so the students finally were able to go home. To his relief, the boys that used to bully him weren't at school today. The young Uchiha began walking home, feeling easier than usual due to their absence.

The sun was slowly going down behind the house roofs; the sky was glowing gold and purple. He felt his mood slowly get better the closer to home he got. He was just a few wards from home when he spotted the leader among the boys.

Instantly alarmed, Sasuke stopped dead in his track and turned around only to get his life's shock when he noticed the three others stand right behind him, grinning. They swiftly grabbed him and made it impossible to escape. They dragged him into a narrow alley-way and Sasuke got a cold sweat when the leader of the gang joined them. This was really, really bad.

He was stuck between two concrete walls which were only some few yards apart. The brown-haired boy smiled wickedly, holding up a kunai. Sasuke's eyes widened in fear. Where did he get that from?

"Do you see what I have here, duckhead? Do you want it in your skin?" The boy grinned and carelessly waved with his arm, exposing the razor-sharp edge of the kunai.

Wide-eyed, Sasuke shook his head frantically. Even if it meant that he would have to beg, his self-preservation was stronger than his pride. The other boys released him and he was suddenly sitting in front of the gang leader, too afraid to even move. The freckly boy grabbed his shirt, dragging him closer and lightly traced the kunai along Sasuke's pale skin, threatening to thrust it into him if he moved. Afraid to even breathe, Sasuke prayed silently that the boys weren't fully serious with using such a dangerous weapon to hurt him with.

In the next second, the kunai was replaced with the boy's fist. And before he had a chance to understand what was happening, the raven-haired got a hard punch right in his face.

"Ow!" Sasuke landed on the ground, his heart was racing and his face hurt. He brought a trembling hand up to his cheeks and felt something sticky. Blood.

He gasped for air, trembling in his whole body and looked up at his predator horrified. Sasuke closed his eyes in silent begging. "Please, don't hurt me anymore…"

He heard footsteps coming closer, a malicious chuckle. "Who's the bravest now, huh? You little shit. You should know who you're messing with…"  
Suddenly a loud crash was heard, and the boy's monologue was abruptly interrupted. Sasuke's eyes flew open and he stared horrified at his predator that was now bleeding on the ground beside him. The other boys ran for their lives, not hesitating for a second about abandoning their leader.

Somebody was standing in front of Sasuke. Strong. Furious.

With a heart flutter the child realized that it was his brother who had thrown the brown-haired boy against the concrete wall, crushing his jaw. The said boy was now lying next to Sasuke, gripping his face and whining loudly.

Itachi stared at the gang leader, his eyes blood-red and merciless. Sasuke was almost afraid of his own big brother in that moment – he felt shivers going down his spine upon seeing the rage that was oozing off Itachi. He wasn't his usual calm and collected self. Now he looked like he was about to lose control.

But the other boy wasn't giving up. He rose on his elbows, eyeing Itachi angrily and defiantly, spitting blood from his mouth. "I'm not afraid of you. And your little brother is pathetic, just lying there so weakly-"

Sasuke knew that his aniki had a limit. And if you crossed it, you were as good as dead. He had seen his brother lose his patience when talking to some clan fellows.

And just as he thought it, the brown-haired boy was brutally abused by Itachi – the older Uchiha was over him in a second, like a beast with its prey, punching him repeatedly. Enraged by hearing somebody insult his otouto and moreover, hurting him really bad. Sasuke had never seen his nii-san so angry before.

He began to fear – what if his brother killed the boy? Then Itachi would be put into jail…

"Nii-san!" he exclaimed. "Aniki, _stop_!"

After some seconds Itachi let go and stood up. The boy next to Sasuke was barely conscious.

Itachi turned towards Sasuke, intimidating with his red eyes and fists covered with blood. But his facial expression quickly softened and the younger relaxed. Sasuke grimaced at the pain from his wound and his older brother crouched down beside him, letting his Sharingan fade away and examined it.

"He will never touch you again, otouto", Itachi told him while still scowling angrily. "Can you stand up?" he asked. Sasuke nodded weakly and tried to get up only to feel his strength drain from his body. Itachi supported him and lifted him up in his arms.

The child let himself be carried back to their home, leaving the freckly boy behind them. Itachi went straight to the kitchen – fortunately none of their parents were there – and put his brother down on the counter, making sure that he could sit by himself. Then he disappeared and soon returned with a first aid kit. Itachi washed the blood from his own hands with a grave expression. Then he gently and accustomedly cleaned Sasuke's wound on his cheek where he had been hit. The smaller boy frowned from pain. Itachi placed a compress over the wound. He also put some patches where Sasuke's skin had been pierced by the kunai.

"Sasuke", he said, "I demand to know if they hurt you somewhere else."

Sasuke shook his head, hesitantly.

Itachi sighed and leaned closer, gently sweeping Sasuke's bangs out of his face. The child looked down in his lap when his older bruises were revealed. Itachi took a deep breath, his fingers gently brushed against his little brother's forehead, hardly touching the abused skin.

Afraid of his nii-san reaction Sasuke didn't dare to look up. Itachi didn't say a word as he pulled up his brother's shirt to examine his torso. Several large bruises that had turned yellow were visible on his belly; his arms had fresher marks in a deep purple color from where one of the goons had gripped him roughly. Itachi didn't know how to react right then. He could just imagine the pain his little otouto must have gone through when they gripped his sensitive skin and thin little body so harshly...

He gently stroked Sasuke's face again. The elder's face was expressionless.  
The feelings were overwhelming. Rage and sadness were swirling inside of him, but he let it stay there, like always.

"Does it hurt?" he asked quietly.

Sasuke lifted his head in surprise. "… A bit", he confessed.

Itachi hugged him, careful to not cause the child more pain. No words could be said right now. There were so much the prodigy wanted to say but he couldn't let it out.

The guilt – he should've known from the first time he noticed Sasuke's bruises! The sorrow – he absolutely hated seeing Sasuke hurt or harmed in any way. And all the pain – his brother's pain was his pain. And of course; the anger. A red-eyed, indescribable anger. How _dared _they hurt his otouto?

Itachi had been walking home when he heard voices coming from a small alley-way. At first he dismissed it, until he felt his brother's chakra and heard the menacing words from another kid. It had taken him less than a second to understand. And the only thing he could think right then was _Nobody. Hurts. My. Brother._

I'm going to have a little 'talk' with all of the children who were present, Itachi thought darkly. And make sure that they will never look at Sasuke again.

"You're safe now", he told his little brother, still hugging him. Sasuke nuzzled into his chest, so grateful for getting comfort from somebody who didn't judge his weakness.

"Nii-san?"

"Yes?"

"Please… don't tell mother or father about this. I don't want them to know…"

Before Itachi had time to answer the kitchen door opened. Mikoto stepped into the room, looking really grim. Both her prodigy sons realized that she had heard everything. She rushed over to them, examining Sasuke worried.

"Why didn't you tell us, Sasuke? You're really hurt, poor thing! I'm so grateful that you treated his wounds, Itachi –"

When Mikoto Uchiha was worried, upset, sad or very happy she began talking rapidly.

"– And give him some ice-cream. I'm going straight to the academy to talk with that stupid teacher! How could this happen–" She hurriedly prepared for leaving the house, making a smacking, disapproving sound with her tongue as she left commands to her eldest child.

When she finally had left her sons shared a smile. Everything would be fine for Sasuke.

And Mikoto's actions helped a lot – the four boys which had been bullying the youngest Uchiha were suspended from the Academy with the principal's promise that they would not be allowed back to the school until Sasuke had graduated. The gang leader's jaw never returned fully to its original position and the boys' parents grounded them for several months.

But Sasuke didn't really care about that. He was just glad that his nii-san had come in time, or else he didn't know what would have happened.  
It's true – every child needs somebody to rely on, and for Sasuke that somebody was always his big brother.


	8. Love

**Author's Note: Here we go! I'm really sorry that I kept you waiting, but my beta got sick so it took a while before she was able to read the document. But many thanks to my beta Bonnie-san for her work :)  
Anyway, now I've changed the story to 15 one-shots! That means more chappies for you! ^^**

**This is a special one-shot. Sasuke: 16 ****Itachi: 23**  
**AU-ish. Non-massacre, I guess. Enjoy!**

**Chapter 8: Love**

* * *

A dim sun was slowly going up. The dawn's light reached into every home in the gray city, announcing that a new day had come.

Itachi slowly woke up, lying comfortable in the soft sheets. Everything felt wonderful. But something was missing. His arms reached out as by themselves, searching for the other inhabitant of the double-bed. He smiled as he found Sasuke and dragged him close to himself.

He hugged the soft, smaller body tightly and breathed the scent of his love. Sasuke gripped the front of his brother's pajama shirt and coughed slightly in his sleep.

The elder dismissed the teen's coughs and nuzzled his raven hair that was so similar to his own. He just wanted to lie there forever with Sasuke safe in his arms. It was common for them to share bed at night. Sasuke still had nightmares now and then.

Itachi decided to get up and make breakfast for his brother. He kissed the younger's neck and left the bed carefully to not wake his precious love up. He tucked Sasuke in and stroked his hair a last time before he headed towards the kitchen.

He warmed some left-over tomato soup from yesterday. Then he decided to do something special for his otouto. Pancakes, maybe?  
When he entered the bedroom a while later with a tray in his hands, he saw that Sasuke was about to wake up. Itachi put the tray aside on the bedside table and walked over to him.

His little brother mumbled something about tomatoes in his sleep. The elder bent down and kissed his nose, taking another deep breath of his unique scent.

"Good morning, otouto. It's time to wake up." He smiled tenderly. Sasuke was rubbing his eyes like a little child and his spiky hair was messy. He yawned and black eyes were revealed when his sleep subsided. He looked sleepily at his brother.

"Nii-san… I'm not feeling well."

The elder was surprised by this statement all of a sudden. He put a hand on his brother's forehead and frowned.

"It's possible that you have slight fever", he said. "Does it hurt somewhere, Sasuke?"

"I have a headac-" The younger's answer was cut off by a minor coughing fit. Itachi was immediately alarmed. When did his baby brother get sick?

"Eat your breakfast Sasuke. I'll be right back with some medicine." He hurried to the kitchen to bring him some painkillers that would reduce his fever.

The younger who just had taken a mouthful of pancakes dropped his fork.

_Medicine? _

When Sasuke got sight of the pill in his brother's hand his eyes widened. He demonstratively shut his mouth close.

"I'm not taking it", he said as Itachi approached him. "It tastes like shit. No fucking way."

"Otouto, don't throw a fit. You need to take the medicine before it gets worse", the elder said reassuringly.

Sasuke turned into a stubborn child – he _hated _taking any kind of medicine in any form and he was _not _going to do it now. He shook his head defiantly with closed mouth.

Itachi sighed. "Please?" he begged, looking his brother deeply in the eyes. Sasuke was always cute but when he turned into a pouting five-year-old he was even more adorable to the elder. But he still was the same foolish little brother that didn't understand that his big brother only wanted to help him.

Sasuke struggled to not give in for his brother's look. "No."

The elder sat down at the edge of bed, picking the pill up in his palm.

"I'll make you have it then", he smiled. Sasuke watched him surprised as he put it into his mouth without swallowing.

A moment later Itachi was leaning over him. He looked at his younger brother intensely. Sasuke felt a shiver down his spine and he lifted his head for a kiss. He couldn't resist having his brother so close, looking at him so sweetly.

His arms reached up to pull the elder down and their lips connected softly. He closed his eyes for a moment, enjoying the wonderful feeling of his nii-san's lips against his. A sweet burning feeling filled his veins and he wanted more.

"Itachi…" he gasped.

His eyes widened when he realized what the other was about to do.

The elder kissed him tenderly. Holding Sasuke in place he swiftly moved the pill from his mouth to his brother's by using his tongue. The younger Uchiha found it impossible to escape and at the same time very comforting to receive his medicine this way, straight from his brother's warm mouth. Their tongues met and in the sensations Sasuke totally forget his hate for pills. He only felt Itachi's taste, overwhelming him. The elder's kisses were doing at least half of the job of curing him.

Looking into his love's eyes the younger obediently swallowed and held back a grimace. Itachi rewarded him with a smile against his lips as he deepened the kiss. The older brother entangled his fingers in Sasuke's hair and pulled him closer. Finally he let go and left the boy gasping for air.

Itachi smiled. His face was only some inches away from his little brother's and the younger could feel his sweet breath on his lips.

"That wasn't so bad, was it?"

Sasuke shook his head. "I guess I could take my medicine more often now", he muttered and tried to sit up only to be pushed back by his brother. "Take it easy, otouto", Itachi reprimanded.

The smaller boy pouted and wrapped his arms around his brother's neck. He dragged him down to lie on top of him. "Then stay close to me and don't get up until I say so", he mumbled against Itachi's neck. He could feel the elder smile as he nuzzled Sasuke's hair. He brought his little brother's hand up to his face and kissed his palm.

"I won't. If you want me to, I can lie here with you until you're cured."

The younger Uchiha nodded. "Of course I want to, nii-san."

Itachi lay beside him and fed him with tomato soup and pancakes. He felt that he could afford to spoil his little brother today. Besides, Sasuke was always so adorable that it was hard to resist.

When Sasuke had finished the meal he coughed slightly. "Nii-san, will you hand me the glass?"

Itachi immediately obeyed. He sat up and gave his brother a glass of water that was standing at the bedside table.

"Here you go, otouto. Drink it all up", he said anxiously.

Sasuke rolled his eyes and sat up. "Don't worry; my throat is just a bit dry."

_Hmmm… Nii-san is so attentive when I get sick. It's like having an own servant… _He suppressed laughter as he sipped at the cooling liquid. Then he put it down beside the bed.

"Do you know what, aniki?"

"No?" The elder looked at him wonderingly.

"I think I'll be cured much faster if you kissed me again", he suggested smirking.

The next second he was tackle-hugged back onto the bed having Itachi's soft lips on his again. And it was not only the will to have his brother healthy that made him do it, Sasuke knew.

The elder embraced him. "Then I'll try the best I can, Sasuke."

The teen felt his body on top of his again and closed his eyes. "I love you, nii-san."

Itachi connected their lips again and the surroundings disappeared. Sasuke had never felt more alive. His nii-san kissed him so tenderly, with a self-evidence that was like a shining light in their hearts. This was how it was meant to be. The same sweet fire swept through their bodies as their lips molded so delicately against each other.

Itachi had the upper hand, as always. He gently held Sasuke's face in place with his hands as he rediscovered his hot, moist cavern. The younger's tongue collided with his, licking softly at his lips. They held each other so tight, never wanting to let go of this heavenly, wonderful, fantastic, lovely, ravishing delight-some moment. The eldest prodigy couldn't find enough words to describe it.

Just a love so pure and white that nothing ever could stain it. Nothing could get between. Blood-stained snow will eventually become white again, next time it snows.

When the lack of oxygen became too bothersome after several minutes their mouths parted. Itachi got off his little brother to not put pressure on his body. They lay there together on the sheets, nose against nose, gasping for air.

"I'm so glad that I have you, Sasuke."

The younger smiled when his brother nuzzled into his chest. He kissed Itachi's hair and ran his fingers through it. "The same to you, nii-san."

"But now… it's time for cough drops and cough medicine!"

Sasuke groaned. Whyyyy?

The younger Uchiha spent the following half-hour with sulking as Itachi ran in and out of the room with thermometers, bottles-with-some-nasty-substance-that-Sasuke-would-never-touch, paper napkins and various other things. He wanted his brother's sweet kisses, nothing else.

"_I am FINE!" _he complained as Itachi for the third time that day stuck a thermometer in his mouth. The tomato-lover ripped it away. "And no kiss of yours can ever make me swallow that ugly medicine. _Ever!_"

_Let's see about that,_ Itachi thought smirking.

He bent down and pecked at his brother's lips. "With that pout of yours I'm going to kiss you anyway", he teased. His lips ghosted over Sasuke's, not touching but close enough to strain the other's sanity. "As long as you don't mind..."

The teen's eyes narrowed. Angrily he pulled his older brother down and kissed him roughly. "That's… what…you get… for teasing me!" he managed to gasp between the raining kisses as the elder responded just as lively.

"I know, otouto", Itachi mumbled against his lips.

"And I swear I'm _not _going to_ –" _His angry demand was ignored and abruptly interrupted when a thick and nasty liquid suddenly was shoved down his throat. The younger brother hadn't even noticed that Itachi had been holding a small cup of medicine in his hand.

"NII-SAN!" Sasuke sat up and tried to bring a coughing fit by sheer will-power. All to make his brother merciful and allowing him to spit it back out.

But Itachi just smiled. He was the master of getting his will through, especially when it came to his dear little brother. Another mind-blowing kiss and the teen's chance to spit it out was lost. Sasuke glared at the prodigy as he silently admitted defeat.

_Stupid brother. _

Itachi chuckled at the sour expression on the younger's face. "Now when you've been a good otouto, do you want nii-san to give you some massage? You look like you're in need of it", he said kindly.

Sasuke's face irradiated. He loved to be massaged, especially by his nii-san. Although he would have liked to pout and play huffy some more he found himself unable to resist the offer.  
He threw his shirt off and lay flat on his stomach on the bed. Itachi sat beside him and coated his hands in massage oil that he brought from the wardrobe.

"Tell me if you get problem with breathing or something", the elder said gravely. Sasuke snorted. "I won't."

The weasel began to work with his brother's tense shoulders and back. His strong hands rubbed soothing circles over the teen's muscles. "Just relax Sasuke."

The younger buried his face in his brother's pillow and exhaled. Itachi stroked from his neck down to the waistband of his pajama trousers and then up again. After a while Sasuke was completely relaxed and the cough medicine had begun to take effect. Itachi bent down and kissed him on the side of his neck. "All done, love."

Itachi dried the oil off his back and Sasuke then turned around. His cheerful mood had returned. Itachi always knew how make him happy. When the elder lay down beside him Sasuke pulled him to his chest and held him affectionately.

The teen knew that he was blessed to have such a brother. No matter which horrible cough medicines he could force Sasuke to take.

They were lucky that they still were together. So many siblings – and couples – part and go separate ways in the end. But they were no ordinary siblings. And had never been.  
Itachi reached up and kissed his brother's chin. Sasuke smiled at the love of his life.

They lay there together as the day passed by, just simply listening to each other's breaths. Sasuke coughed slightly sometimes. Every time he did Itachi rubbed his back comfortingly.

To the elder's relief the teen's fever was dropped again. The prodigy ignored his brother's protests and got up and brought him water, painkillers or cough medicine at regular intervals. He didn't allow the younger to leave the bed except to use the bathroom. After lunch Sasuke was lying comfortable against the pillows with a tomato in his hands.

"Nii-san, I feel much better now", he said. "Do I have to lie here all day?"

Itachi sat down beside him, slightly concerned. "I would like to have you bedridden for the rest of the day, at least. What if you faint?"

The teen rolled his eyes. "Please, nii-san. It's just a cold."

The elder bent down and kissed his forehead. "I'll stay here with you."

Sasuke smiled, giving in. "Thank you, aniki."

The sun shone in through the curtains in the bright bedroom. Itachi wanted to lie down, right on top of his brother but decided that he, of medicinal reasons, should restrain himself this time. Instead he laid down beside his precious love and took hold of his hand. Sasuke rewarded him with a smile.

Yes, he was blessed indeed. So much Itachi did for him, always taking care of him. Showing him never-ending affection and patience. Sasuke would have been another person without him. He couldn't live a life without having his beloved older brother there. It simply wouldn't work.

Because they were each other's completing parts. And the best thing of all was that he knew Itachi felt the same. That was a truth that would never change.

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**Reviews make my day! **


	9. Water

**A/N: I think it's time for a disclaimer now. I haven't put one in this story yet. Okay, I don't own Naruto. It's pretty obvious, because if I did, Sasuke and Itachi would be together forever, Itachi would never die, Sasuke would get his **** chopped off by ME for being such an a****** in Shippuden, all brothers in Naruto would move far away and marry, the anime would contain much more hidden gayness than it already does, Sakura would not give a -_beep_- about Sasuke and be much more useful, Hanzo, Danzo and Tobi would die a slow death together and Konan and Pein would have children and rule the world in never ending world peace. =)**

**Thank you for the reviews! You guys are simply the best!**

* * *

**9. Water  
**

The Uchiha family was enjoying an ordinary meal. Well, everybody except Sasuke. He stared at his plate and tried to convince himself that the uncooked fish and seaweed in front of him tasted very good. But for a six-year-old it could sometimes be very hard to convince himself things like that. He swallowed hard. He didn't feel like eating anything at all right now. He was tired after a long day of training and wanted to go to sleep.

He spoke up quietly: "I'm not hungry."

Fugaku stopped talking to Itachi about a mission and turned his attention to his youngest son for the first time during the meal.

"Eat up, Sasuke", he said without really looking at him.

"But I'm full", the child said with tiny voice. "My stomach hurts..."

"It's okay darling, you don't need to." Mikoto assured. "This food is quite new for you and I understand that you're tired…"

Fugaku reacted instantly this time. "You can't spoil him like that! He must learn to eat properly!"

"But I can understand that he can't eat more. We don't want to give him a stomach ache before he goes to bed, do we?" Mikoto tried.

"And I don't want to you to baby him! How is he going to be a strong shinobi if he only eats when he 'feels like'?"

"You know he always eats when he is supposed to!" The boys' mother raised her voice and she started to sound angry.

Itachi had been quiet through the whole discussion. He put a supporting hand on his brother's shoulder and flashed him a comforting smile. Sasuke kept his gaze lowered.

"What if he gets hungry later after dinner? Are you going to run up to him with milk and cookies then?" their father said irritated.

"It's not about that," Mikoto replied just as upset. "You can't force a little child to eat! What will become of him then?"

Fugaku began to fume. Sasuke's eyes filled with guilt. His older brother kept his hand on his shoulder.

"Can I take Sasuke out training tomorrow?" Itachi asked to change subject.

"What training?" Fugaku asked. He instantly switched his attention to his oldest son and the youngest one seemed to disappear.

"Chakra training", the prodigy answered. Sasuke lifted his head, joy filling his eyes. "He needs to learn it", Itachi said gravely. Fugaku nodded. "Of course."

.

The next day Sasuke woke up early, much too thrilled to stay asleep. Today nii-san was going to take him out training! He hurried with the breakfast and could barely get himself to swallow a fraction of it. It seemed like ages since they last had spent time together.

"What is so exciting?" Mikoto asked smiling fondly. She was standing at the counter and cleaned the dishes, just as she always did. "You don't have school today." Her son must be the only child in Konoha that actually enjoyed the Academy. But he wasn't the best for nothing.

"I know", Sasuke pouted. "I'm just so happy that nii-san has a day off!"

Itachi showed up after breakfast, apparently having been awake since dawn as usual. Sasuke hugged him tightly. "Good morning, nii-san!"

"Hello on you too, otouto."

It took a while before they could set off; Fugaku demanded to talk with his eldest about a mission and then Mikoto reprimanded Itachi to take well care of his brother and watch out so he wouldn't drown or anything. She knew where they would go. Itachi was calm and serious when he promised her that. Even the most anxious mother would have calmed down by the determined and sincere look in his eyes.

They left the district that sunny morning, walking next to each other.

"Nii-san, please give me a piggy-back ride!" the younger exclaimed as soon as they had left their house behind them.

Itachi smiled and crouched down. Who cared if somebody saw him, the great Uchiha genius carrying his brother? He didn't, anyway. "Well, get up then Sasuke."

The child happily placed himself on his brother and then Itachi began walking again. He noticed that his little brother was holding his pony-tail. "Hoop-la, nii-san!"

"What are you doing, Sasuke?" he asked amused.

"Hoop-la! Good horse! You're a horse, nii-san!" The younger brother had a firm hold around his long pony-tail.

Usually Itachi shouldn't have been amused, and not even allowed anybody to touch his hair. But when it came to his brother it was always a whole different story. And Sasuke was saying it in a very cute way, something he could never fail to notice. Itachi tried to hold back laughter. "Sure otouto. But just for today."

Sasuke quickly gave up on the horse game and affectively rested his head against the back of his brother's. His small hands were firmly connected over the elder's chest.

The older Uchiha walked into the forest past the training fields. The younger frowned.

"Are we going to the river? What are we going to do there?"

Itachi turned his head so he could look at him from the corner of his eyes. "This will be a new kind of training for you otouto."

The elder stopped when they were on the other side of the village near the forest. The big river that flowed from Konoha's center had turned into a little lake now. It stretched out in front of them. He bent down and Sasuke got off him. The younger Uchiha looked at the clear blue water that was sparkling in the sunlight. He wondered how a lake could benefit when they would do shuriken practice.

Sasuke looked at the surroundings curiously. It was a splendid day. Tall trees surrounded the lake and created shadows over the surface. The lake was at most some yards deep, but mostly just some feet.

"You have practiced to mold chakra before, haven't you, otouto?"

"Yes, but what are we going to do?"

"I will teach you how to walk on water, Sasuke."

The younger brother's eyes widened. "Will you? Thank you, nii-san!"

The elder smiled and put his hands together. "You will use your chakras. The human body has seven chakras dots in it – one at the top of the head, one in the forehead, the neck, the heart, solar plexus and stomach, down to the basic chakra at your abdomen. Those seven chakra dots are connected by thin strings of chakra that goes through your whole body. And -"

Sasuke was impatient. "I know already, nii-san! Show me how to do it!"

Itachi chuckled. "And as I was about to say, you will use them by molding chakra in your feet. That way you will be able to walk on the water. Put your hands together…"

Sasuke eagerly obliged. He was determined to success. _I have to show nii-san that I'm able to do it…_

"Start to mold chakra in your hands, otouto. When you feel that it's enough, gather it at your feet."

The child closed his eyes and tried to concentrate. He was excited but he knew that he must get everything right. His brother had time to train with him for once! When his hands were very warm of the gathered energy he tried to mentally drag it down to his feet. It felt funny and a bit tickling. He tried to do as he was taught in the Academy and let it flow through his heart chakra out in his whole body.

After a while he looked at his brother. Itachi was standing in the same pose in front of him with closed eyes and his hands together in a seal. Sasuke stared in awe at his older brother. He could see how it almost glowed blue around Itachi's feet.

_Nii-san is so good at this… he is good at everything. I wish I could be like him. _

"I'm done, nii-san."

Itachi opened his eyes. "Then I'll show you how to do. Look closely."

The older brother walked effortlessly out on the lake. The water was carrying him as if it was solid ground. Sasuke eyed him disbelievingly.

"Just step out on the water, otouto", Itachi called. He was standing tall and safe as if walking on water was something he did every day. On second thoughts, maybe he did. "In Anbu we use the water to travel long distances", he said as if he had heard the younger. "Be sure to focus the chakra in your feet now."

It's so cool to be a ninja, Sasuke thought. To be able to walk on water…!

The child almost ran out on the lake just to fall right down under the surface. As he gasping struggled to keep himself floating he could hear his brother chuckle lightly. Sasuke pouted. "Nii-san…"

Itachi was already standing at the surface next to him, reaching out a hand to support him. Sasuke took hold of his hand to hold himself above the water.

"That was mean, nii-san."

Itachi managed to suppress another amused chuckle at Sasuke's cute pout. "I'm sorry, otouto. You must have dropped focus."

He helped him to stand up and held his arms firmly to prevent him from falling down again. "I'll help you to walk. Just try to -"

"I know, nii-san."

Itachi smiled hastily before moving. Sasuke yelped. "Aniki.."

"Don't worry, I'm holding you. Try to walk casually. Don't forget to mold your chakra to your feet."

Sasuke's pout soon turned into delight. Itachi had a firm grip on his upper arms and supported almost his whole weight. To Sasuke, it felt as if he was walking on water – for real. He could feel slight warmth at his feet. Itachi took some steps back and the younger followed. He gasped.  
"Nii-san! I'm walking on water!"

Sasuke took some tentative steps forward. "Don't release me, nii-san."

"I won't. Not until you're ready." Itachi smiled kindly. This was quite how it had looked when Sasuke took his first steps. The little child had been stumbling towards him, tripping. Itachi had caught him just when he was about to fall and praised him. Then he had helped his little brother to walk as he held him gently.

He noticed how Sasuke got more and more power in his steps. Maybe he was getting the whole chakra thing already. The elder released his grip a bit, still holding him. "Not bad, otouto. Just keep on walking, gather the energy…"

A shy smile lit up the younger's face. He got more confidence in his steps.

"I will let go of you now. Slowly and steadily, just continue."

"Okay nii-san." Sasuke looked determined, completely trusting in his brother.

The elder slowly let go, prepared to catch the younger at any moment. But Sasuke was standing where he was. The energy was glowing around his feet and the child looked down with a proud and happy smile. Itachi was leaning over him but he soon realized that it was unnecessary. He took a step back and looked at Sasuke. The child met his gaze. Itachi smiled encouragingly and took another step back. He was so proud of his little brother.

The child took a small step forward. "Nii-"

Sasuke yelped when the firm ground underneath him suddenly disappeared.

Itachi knew that his otouto could swim. He himself had taught him and this lake was rather shallow. But he began to wonder was what going on when Sasuke didn't appear at the surface some seconds later.

Then he realized that everything wasn't as it should be. What a big brother he was! He was supposed to protect his younger sibling, not letting him drown!

He swiftly disrupted the chakra flow beneath his own feet and spotted the younger instantly in the clear water. It was about shallow that Itachi almost reached the surface if he stood at the bottom. He grabbed Sasuke and made his way up again. He sat down on the surface with the younger in his arms. Sasuke gasped and clung to the elder's shirt.

The child was uncomfortably shocked but his older brother looked like he was publicizing shampoo or something. Itachi looked totally unfazed and calm, as always, and his black bangs gleamed in the sunlight.

It had gone too fast for Sasuke to have had time to react but now he decided that he had been scared, just for the sake of it. He looked miserably at the elder.

"Don't you like to bathe, otouto?" Itachi joked to cheer him up.

"I could've drowned, nii-san!" Sasuke pouted.

"No Sasuke. As long as I'm here, you wouldn't be able to drown even if you tried to."

The younger didn't know what to say, positively shocked into silence. Itachi smiled reassuringly to him.

"Let's go home, otouto."

"But we aren't done with training!"

"Sorry Sasuke, I have a mission tomorrow. We will have a lot of time to continue though, some other time."

Itachi rose from the lake he was sitting on and held Sasuke so he could stand.

"Can I try walking again, nii-san?"

The elder released him discretely. "Go ahead. I'm right behind you."

Sasuke started to walk and took a couple of steady steps before he stopped, convinced that he was being held. Itachi followed him closely all the time.

"Nii-san, I think you can let go of me now."

"I've already done it, otouto."

Sasuke gasped. "What- When? I'm… I'm standing by myself, nii-san!"

He turned around. "Keep focus", Itachi reminded, but it wasn't needed.

The youngest Uchiha had mastered it. His eyes shone bright with happiness. Now he was one step closer to his brother's level, to their father's expectation, recognition, to everything…

The sun was sparkling in his eyes and in his smile shone a light even brighter than the sun itself. Sasuke grabbed his brother's hand and they started running towards the land on the other side of the lake, side by side.

Many years later Sasuke would remember this day, when he learned to control his chakra. Itachi was the older brother that taught him everything, the one he strived to be like.

Itachi had taught him to do shadow clones, every trick he used in school. When Sasuke was four years old his big brother had taught him to write. Itachi had put his skilled hand over Sasuke's smaller one and together they had formed the letters.

"What do you want to write?" the elder had asked. He had been sitting beside the child, patient and kind, helping him. "I want to write our names", Sasuke had answered. Itachi had guided his brother's unaccustomed hand to a perfect writing: イタチ と サスケ

Sasuke had pouted as usual, biting his lip in his determination to get it right. He had spent hours of practicing. Two days later when he had fallen asleep and Itachi just went into his room to check on him he found that the child was clenching something in his sleep. It was a piece of paper. Itachi had decided to take it from his brother and put it down beside the bed so Sasuke wouldn't drop it in his sleep and then not find it.

But when he looked at the paper he was genuinely surprised and touched. A child's writing; clumsy letters put together in a cute way.

_Sasuke love Itachi. _

_._


	10. Together

**10: Together**

**As usual, many thanks to my wonderful beta reader Bonnie-san and to you wonderful readers! ^^  
**

* * *

Being a prodigy, an ANBU member and heir of the Uchiha clan was not as easy as Sasuke had imagined it to be. He had thought that everything was easy for the one who was a genius but he realized that it required more work than anything. He started to understand that his dreams would be harder to achieve than he had thought by just watching Itachi. Even to him it became impossible to not notice how hard his brother worked.

Itachi became more and more stressed with each passing day. He was gone for week-long missions and often didn't return until late night. He rarely ate dinner together with his family; mostly because he wasn't even at home. But he still tried to spend all his free time with his little brother. Now and then he had a day off and that was like a glimmering sun in the brothers' schedules, but the opportunities were few and rare.

Their father didn't approve of the time Itachi spent with Sasuke. It was really bothering him in fact. He wanted his sons to get physically stronger and not waste time with strengthen their bonds to each other or play. Sasuke heard that his brother often was reprimanded by Fugaku for this.

It was evening and the youngest in the family had just come home from the training grounds. On his way to his room he heard voices coming from their father's office. Sasuke recognized Itachi's voice and stopped.

Nii-san and Father were having an argumentation again.

"I have already told you – strength and power are _not _achieved by playing those foolish games!" Fugaku barked. "You are a member of the ANBU, you represent our clan and you connect us to the village! Do your work properly and stop wasting time with your brother! _Do you understand?"_

Itachi's voice was quiet and restrained. "I'm only doing my job."

"What do you mean by that?" Their father's voice was harsh. Fugaku was used to being completely respected by all of his subordinates and the fact that his own son defied him aggravated him beyond words. Sasuke wanted them to stop fighting. He hated that his father was angry with Itachi because of him.

In the office Itachi looked his father straight in the eyes.

"To reach the heights you want is not simply done by getting power. One must see what's truly important in life," the young teen said sedately.  
_My brother is more important than the clan to me, __more even __than the whole village. And you, Father, cannot change that, _he thought. _My job is to be there for Sasuke, to be his brother_.

Fugaku's voice raised and he clenched his fists. "Such arrogance! What is wrong with you, Itachi? Do as I say!"

Itachi sighed inwardly. Their father was never going to listen, would never understand. He had been like this for many years. Even before Sasuke was born. Fugaku didn't see the personalities, the_ individuals _in every person. He only thought about power. A person with no physical strength had no worth at all in his eyes.

_You are too kind, Itachi. You're far too kind. It's a shame that you let your feelings get in the way for the work. The work is more important. _That was what he had told his son his whole life, even when the child only was four years old and had committed his first murder during the war.

The clan was so important for Fugaku; nothing else seemed to matter. Mikoto kept on telling Itachi and Sasuke lies. Lies about how worried their father was for them and how hard it was to be the clan leader. Itachi didn't believe in that, no matter what his mother said. But the worst thing was that Sasuke bought the lies completely. Would that adorable, innocent, happy part of Itachi's little brother disappear when he grew up? Would Sasuke end up just as power-seeking and harsh as their father was? Fugaku just wanted more power; all of the grown-ups in the clan wanted it except Mikoto and some old aunt of theirs.

The situation was rapidly going out of their hands and Itachi was more than worried. Danzo and the other elders were upset by the information he had brought them and different strategies were considered. At any moment one part could decide to act and an incomparable civil war would blossom, turning whole of Konoha to a living hell and the Uchihas to criminals. And then Sasuke would end up right in the crossfire, just as he had.

Itachi knew that he must stop it before that happened. He just couldn't let Sasuke come between the Uchiha Clan and the village. He had to stop his father and the others in the clan or peace would never be seen again.

The prodigy had thought about all this in just two seconds. He continued the discussion with a quiet and emotionless voice:

"There is nothing wrong. As I said, I'm only doing my job. And I won't attend the meeting tomorrow, I have a mission."

"How dare you –"

Sasuke's eyes were wide as he listened to the conversation from afar. What would happen? He didn't have to wonder long though. Through the thin rice paper door he could see the silhouette of his brother rising. The child was astonished that Itachi actually dared to leave the room in the middle of a discussion with their father.

The door slid open and the elder walked past the child. Sasuke looked up at him and saw how grim his nii-san looked. He wanted to say something but Itachi strode past him without a word and went into his room. The prodigy shut the door firmly behind him. He would never slam it shut, but this time it was close.

Left in the hallway was the youngest Uchiha, confused and worried. He was deeply affected every time their father would complain at his brother. His shoulders drooped and he felt really dispirited. Fugaku had risen as well and stared after his eldest son with a scowl.

**xxx**

The darkness was slowly sweeping over the country of the Sand. Enormous dust storms far away made the horizon adopt a dull beige color and if they hadn't had a sensor type among them they would be completely lost in the massive sand covered areas.

The ANBU members were hiding near a rock as they waited for the night and the signal from their leader. They had lit a fire to keep warm and keep wild animals away.

Soon the night sky was hovering above them with an indestructible blackness and the stars hid themselves behind dark grey clouds. The moon wasn't even visible. Everything hid away; the world that surrounded them didn't want to witness this.

The air was cold and the soon-to-be-shed smell of blood could already be sensed by the shinobis. They could never know what the night had in store for them. Anything could happen. The hardest part of being a shinobi was to be able to face everything, no matter what.

The young Uchiha was standing near the rock wall with a couple of his comrades, preparing and planning for the other group of ninjas they were going to finish off tonight.  
Itachi pulled out his katana, getting ready to set off. The cold, hard metal gleamed slightly from the faint light coming from the campfire. Some of his subordinates covered it with sand to suffocate the flame; it was time to go.

Their weapons were now invisible in the darkness, hiding away the shinobi's actions from the ordinary world. Itachi shut off his thoughts and his blood-red eyes scanned the area for signs of life.

Not a single one of their targets was going to survive.

**xxx**

"Kaa-san… I have nothing to do." Sasuke sighed bored. Was nii-san ever going to return from his mission? He had waited three days for his brother now, wanting nothing but to talk to him about everything. Itachi had had so many missions for the last weeks; he hadn't kept his promise to spend more time with his brother.

The kid was feeling bad. He had trained most of the day, as usual, and then he had just sat down on a park bench and waited. The hours were endless; nothing was fun when nii-san was away. Now Sasuke was sitting in the kitchen, his head resting on the table, eating a snack.

Mikoto sighed too and smiled pityingly at him. She knew who he was waiting for and why he was so restless.

"He will be home soon, Sasuke."

She started to prepare dinner and the youngest Uchiha didn't know where to turn. Sasuke strode out into the hallway and stared longingly at Itachi's closed door. He needed his brother's comfort right now. He swiftly stepped into the elder's room and shut the sliding door behind him so his father wouldn't wonder what he was doing.

The elder brother's room was clean and tidy, very impersonal. It was hard to tell who was living there if one didn't know. The child stepped over the wooden floor and knew that there was only one thing that could remind him of Itachi when the other was away.

He sat down on his brother's bed. Here nii-san slept every night when he was home and here Sasuke used to sleep pretty often too; he always came to Itachi's room during the night when he had nightmares, couldn't sleep or for no reason at all.

The child lifted the covers and crawled under them. He nuzzled the soft pillow, closing his eyes. Itachi's scent was lingering around him. It felt as if the elder was here, embracing him with that scent of older brother that was so reassuring to the child. Sasuke hugged the pillow tightly.

"I miss you, nii-san."

He rested safe, remembering a time when Itachi didn't have any missions and they could be together every day. But it was so long ago and now it only existed in his dreams.  
Sasuke was worried. _Father and Nii-san never seems to agree_, he thought. What was going on with them, really?

Just when he was about to fall asleep, he heard Mikoto call his name. The child rushed out of the room with eagerness glowing around him. Itachi had finally returned home!

"Nii-san, welcome ho-"

Sasuke stopped shocked.

Itachi's ANBU uniform was bloody and his long hair was messy. He hadn't even cared to deactivate his Sharingan. His heroic appearance seemed almost frightening in their plain hallway, as if he was a dangerous intruder and not a young teen who just had returned home after a usual work day.

He must have witnessed really bad things on his mission; he seemed so cold and distant. There was something indescribably dark in Itachi's red gaze. The darkness from killing another human.  
Sasuke couldn't remember his brother looking so stern for a long time. What happened to the warm hugs and the genuine smiles he used to receive from his nii-san when the elder came home?

Crimson eyes met Sasuke's when he greeted his older brother at the door. They looked _through _him and not at him, as if he was another target. The child instinctively took a step back, surprised and hurt by the cold stare.

"Nii-san, a-are you alright?"

"Quiet, Sasuke." The voice was also uncharacteristically cold. The younger's eyes widened horrified. Mikoto who was standing behind him said: "Welcome home, Itachi. Dinner is almost ready –"

The older boy swiftly went to his room, ignoring his mother's greeting. He just shut the door behind him without further actions towards his family.

Sasuke stared at his brother's closed door, appalled. Why had Itachi...?  
He felt his mother's hand rest slightly on his shoulder. "He is just very tired after his long mission. Don't worry, Sasuke. I'm sure he isn't angry with you."

"But nii-san w-was so c-cold, he told me to be quiet!"

Mikoto smiled reassuringly to her youngest child and patted his hair. She wanted to wipe that unhappy facial expression of her child's face so badly.

Sometimes she wished that Sasuke could see what she saw. Itachi's behavior had been impolite, yes, but his gaze had softened considerably as soon as Sasuke came into his sight. Mikoto had a whole different view on him than Sasuke had. She could see the dimensions of emotions, hurt and happiness in her oldest son. What was visible on the surface was often not what he really thought. Little Sasuke couldn't understand that yet.

"Just give him some time to rest and your brother will go back to normal." With that she went back to the kitchen.

**x**

Itachi was exhausted. The last mission was really tough and he had lost almost his entire team. He sighed when he thought about it. Their enemy had struck unexpectedly and almost every one of his comrades had lost their lives. Only the Uchiha prodigy and another skilled member from Anbu had survived the attack, so the two of them also had to manage to kill off all of their culprits on their own.

Itachi was physically unharmed, he just had some few scratches on his body but his mind was hurt. He hated to kill, hated to see blood flowing from people's limp bodies. But he had to fight. He had to defend himself. It was a part of the mission; surround the targets and rip them to pieces.

Now he had finally begun to exit his mission mode. His heart beat calmer when he was in his home, surrounded by familiar scents, rooms and people.

The young teen sat down on the bed. He knew that his little brother had been in the room as soon as he entered it, the chakra even easier to detect with his Sharingan. He deactivated it somewhat guiltily. He realized that Sasuke had been lying in his bed quite recently. The way the sheets were wrinkled sent a wave of tenderness through him.

_Sasuke..._

Itachi knew that he had behaved badly to his little brother. He would apologize later. But now he needed to get rid of the smell of blood before he went mad. It felt as if the very substance had eaten into his skin and disappeared into his bones, marking him as a murderer forever.

Itachi threw his uniform at the floor, not caring to fold it properly. He would clean his sword later. He felt much more comfortable when only wearing his usual t-shirt and trousers. He left the room and went to take a shower. He struggled with getting the dried blood and soil from his hair and skin. His guilt and sorrow for the last missions and all other hard times were fretting into his soul.

A while later he exited the bathroom with a towel around his waist. It was a bit surprising that Sasuke was nowhere to be seen. Usually the child would crave his attention the first thing he did when Itachi came home, but considering how he had behaved towards his little brother it wasn't strange that Sasuke avoided him, the prodigy thought shamefully. He must have scared his little otouto…

He went to his room and changed to clean clothes. He didn't care to comb and tie his hair up, it wasn't important. Feeling how tired he was he lay down on his bed and stared up at the ceiling.  
Too tired to think, too guilty to face himself.

"Nii-san?" somebody mumbled softly. Itachi hadn't even noticed that Sasuke had come into the room. He must have been really exhausted.  
His little brother sat carefully down on the edge of the bed, looking at him. Sasuke wasn't afraid anymore. His big brother's eyes were black and kind again.

"Can I sit here for a while?" he asked shyly. The elder nodded kindly. "Sasuke… I'm sorry for my behavior before. I was tired, but that's no apology."

"It's okay, aniki." Sasuke crawled over to his brother's side and gently stroked his wet bangs out of his face. "And you still are tired. You need to rest, nii-san," he told his brother precociously.

"Come here." Itachi beckoned him to lie down beside him and the younger obliged. Sasuke rested his head against his brother's chest and snuggled to his body. Itachi placed his arms around him and held him close.

"Little brother?"

"Yes, nii-san?"

"I love you." Itachi pressed a firm but still so soft kiss to his brother's forehead. The younger smiled and they fell silent.

They lay there without saying anything, just resting in each other's presence. Nothing more was needed and Itachi relaxed completely. He buried his face in his brother's soft hair, smelling the beloved scent of his Sasuke. It was amazing how he always felt much more light-hearted when his little brother was in his presence. He couldn't explain how he felt right now – he only knew that it was so right. Sasuke made him feel right.

The younger smiled happily. He loved these kinds of moments when only he and Itachi were together. It was worth all wait for him when he was away.  
He was safe in his brother's familiar grip, lulled by listening to his calm, slowing breaths.

**x**

Mikoto had called that the food was ready quite a while now without getting any answer from her children. Fugaku was sitting impatiently at the dinner table, muttering about undisciplined kids. Wondering what her sons could be doing, the mother knocked on Itachi's door. She had already checked Sasuke's room, which was empty. Frowning when she got no answer, she decided to enter.

Mikoto stepped into the room and looked around. "Itachi? Sasuke?" she asked softly. "Dinner is…" She gasped at the stunning sight in front of her.

It wasn't everyday she saw them like this, actually she couldn't remember something similar happening for years. Her sons were fast asleep on Itachi's bed.

The elder was holding his brother protectively against himself and the younger hugged him in return. Their mother had never seen anything cuter. Itachi looked like an innocent child and the lines on his relaxed face only made him look more angelic in his mother's eyes.

The younger snuggled to the elder like a sleeping puppy. Putting a hand over her mouth to not wake them up, Mikoto giggled softly. _Her angels!_ Maybe she should take a picture?

She was standing where she was, both shocked and blissful. She enjoyed the sight of her sons getting along so well, nothing made her happier. Itachi seemed much calmer and relaxed now; most of his tension seemed to be gone. Just as she knew it would be once the brothers got to be together for a while.

Sasuke's satisfaction was clear even in his sleep – his older brother was finally spending time with him, even if it wasn't in a conscious state.  
Mikoto carefully shut the door behind them and returned to the kitchen.

"What are they doing?" Fugaku asked suspiciously, he had already started eating when his wife came back.

Mikoto smiled dreamily and turned the stove off. "Sleeping."

"_What?_" Fugaku almost spat his food back on the plate in shock. "It's seven o'clock! It can't be possible -"

His wife didn't care about his important opinion right now and that annoyed him greatly. Mikoto was in her own thoughts; she brought the camera and went to Itachi's room. She couldn't keep herself from chirping about her 'baby angels'. This moment needed to be archived.

_So cute they are, my boys_, Mikoto thought cheerily.

Fugaku decided to check out the scandal but soon realized that it did not turn out to be as awful as he had imagined. He stood behind her and they looked at their children. Not even he wanted to interrupt this moment; there was something stunning about it. Few times they had seen their sons so harmonized, and Itachi's guard was completely down.

Itachi turned around in the bed, still sleeping, and Sasuke snuggled instinctively closer to him. Together they created the picture of complete safety and innocence.

Together, that was how their mother always wanted to see them. She got a strange feeling sometimes; that something was missing when her children were apart. It was almost as if… as if they were each other's other half. She had no idea why she thought like that, but she couldn't shrug it off.

Fugaku took a step back.

"Let's… not disturb them", he said finally. Mikoto was a little surprised. She knew that her husband cared deeply for his sons but she had never thought that he would accept this. She smiled and took hold of his hand. "Yes", she agreed. "Let's leave them alone for a while."

* * *

**xxx**

**Reviews are loved!**


	11. Game

**Author's Note:** Hi again everyone! ^^

**An official answer to a review I got:** Actually, there will be more than 15 one-shots. :D New ideas keep popping up all the time, and as I mentioned earlier, my mind never run out of new ways for Itachi and Sasuke to show their love for each other. So, unless something happens to me within this year, there will be more than 15. I had to increase the numbers slowly as time passed by, but I can reveal that right now it's around 18.

And, about this story: I had such problems with in which order I should put the chapters. You see, when it comes to this I'm quite of a perfectionist and I don't want to put too similar scenes/themes next to each other. I had to get a perfect mix of the various things, but it's harder than what I thought. So yeah, I'm sorry that some chapters may have similar themes in a row, but it's so hard to find a better solution. It's a real difficult puzzle! xD

I can reveal, though, that much Uchihacest is coming up :D (Not in this chapter, though) Also brotherly fluff, of course. I'll try my best to get you a varied mix. Now, on to the next one-shot.

* * *

**11. Game**

Most inhabitants of Konoha despised this kind of weather and stayed in so much they could. But two boys were still running around and played in the wet grass outside of the Compound. Sasuke threw himself in the direction of the ball and almost stumbled on the slippery ground when he turned around too fast.

Everything around them was glowing, velvet green like a painting of nature; the colors were enhanced by the weather. Itachi was closing in on the soccer ball from the other side and easily kicked it away. He approached Sasuke's goal and the younger boy turned around and used his last energy to defend it. They were both soaking wet and cold but Sasuke had insisted on finishing the game.

Itachi made a well-aimed kick and the ball rushed past his sibling's outstretched arms and into the goal.

"So I lost again", Sasuke panted and ran up to his brother, pouting a bit. It seemed to be impossible to beat Itachi in anything. His brother ruffled his hair. "Well done anyway, otouto. Better luck next time."

Sasuke suddenly shuddered and his teeth were shaking. "Y-y-es."

"Your lips are about to turn blue, let's go inside", Itachi urged. Together they rushed home through the rain, longing for the warmth inside.

It was a gray day without much light. The sky cried and dark clouds painted it with swirling shades of darkness. Sasuke would rather have spent the day indoors with Itachi but their family had other plans. He became rather surprised when found out that Shisui had come home to them while they were out playing. Their cousin's parents were also there and talked with Sasuke's, so it probably meant that their whole family was visiting them.

Oh no, the tomato-lover thought as he dried his black spikes with a fluffy towel. It must mean that _she_ is here...

That poltergeist of a girl had not shown herself yet but the effects of her presence were already clear. Sasuke sighed and went into his room to study. His brother and Shisui had already been involuntary engaged with some boring conversation with the grown-ups and he had nothing else to do. He had wished that he and Itachi could have spent the day for themselves, just the two of them, but of course something would come between. It always did. Pouting childishly Sasuke entered his room but suddenly screamed loudly in shock.

Itachi was at his side a second later with a kunai in his hand, ready to defend him with his life. It soon turned out to be unnecessary, though. Shisui came into the room to see what was going on just in time to hear Sasuke accuse the culprit.

"_Natsumi!_ Take that spider away right now! Ugh!And when did you attach all those cockroaches to my pants? _Ugh! Ugh! Ugh! _Where the heck did you get them from!?"  
Even for an Uchiha it could be hard to not panic sometimes, especially when a spider large as your hand was lying on your pillow.

The one who apparently had made the prank remained hidden God-knows-where in the room. Only a mischievous giggle was heard. "Sorry, itoko, I couldn't resist to see your face."

The both older brothers found this to be very amusing. Itachi calmly put his kunai aside with raised eyebrows. "That was quite a false alarm."

"It seems like she's on it again", Shisui chuckled.

Sasuke was just sparing the room a scared glare, hoping that she would understand his discomfort without saying it out loud. But maybe that was too much to ask for. He had made a fool of himself _again, _in front of his brother and cousin no less. He hated it when she turned her tricks against him.

"That was not fun", he stated angrily.

"Those insects are made of plastic!" she giggled as if he had missed an obvious fact, which he actually had. A thud was heard when the girl stumbled out of Sasuke's wardrobe and fell down on the floor. She got up and smiled a pure Shisui-grin. "That _was_ fun. But –"

Sasuke glared at her halfheartedly. "I knew they were made of plastic, by the way."

"No, you didn't!"

"Yes I did!"

"No, you didn't!"

"Yes I did, end of discussion!"

She glared back at him with the typical stubbornness that all Uchihas possessed. "No, itoko! You should have seen yourself when you saw them!"

"Hey, no need to fight about this, ne?" Shisui broke in and ended the discussion.

Natsumi Uchiha was nobody less than Sasuke's contemporary cousin, actually the one he got best along with after Shisui. It could seem strange due to their constant quarreling, but both of them had a hard time getting along with other people outside of the clan. Natsumi was a real mischief. If a clan meeting was abruptly canceled, if the river was inundated, if the houses were on fire or if something really important suddenly had disappeared she most probably was the case to it. But what else to expect of Shisui's little sister?

Nobody ever forgot when she – at the age of three – played with some dogs and a cat and then happened to lock them away inside of aunt Misu's greenhouse, causing all the lady's unique plants and flowers to be destroyed. Moreover, there was a real movement when the animals were released from the greenhouse some hours later and the cat rushed into five kitchens with three barking, filthy dogs after it, scaring toddlers from their sanity and overturning porcelain and tables. The adults had gone mad but none of them wanted to be the one punishing a mere toddler. As she grew she was often punished and harshly reprimanded for her hoaxes, but that didn't stop her.

Natsumi was like a ticking bomb and the most clan members despised her. But she was a happy girl, always inspired to think up new hoaxes and tricks, sometimes really mean ones. She was not mean to her nature; she only had troubles with expressing herself in the right way. It was quite interesting to be in the young girl's aftermath as she could anger the whole clan any time during the day. Sasuke had agreed to cooperate to some of her ideas now and then, mostly because he didn't want to be viewed like a coward. It was lucky for him that the adults always blamed her.

After the cousins' dispute that Itachi and Shisui interrupted by talking with respective sibling, Sasuke continued to do his homework while the elder boys were called back to the conversation and Natsumi left his room.

Not long after she returned this rainy afternoon, without knocking. She wore a mischievous smirk on her face that only meant one thing – trouble. She sat down next to her cousin on the floor and showed him the scroll she was carrying.

Sasuke frowned. What now? Natsumi _hated _to read.

"I've got the world's most _perfect _idea, itoko", she announced, smiling like a mad scientist.

The tomato-lover eyed her disbelieving. "Your ideas are always weird."

"No, no. Listen, Sasuke. I know the best way to fool our Nii-sans!"

His interest perked up. "What?"

Natsumi smiled wickedly and held up the thick scroll _- Nine Forbidden Jutsus._

Sasuke gasped. "Where did you get that from?" he hissed. "It's…"

"I broke into the Hokage's office, what you think?" she said. "No, I found it in grandpa's room, silly. He had a lot of stuff there. The book contains…"

"It's a scroll, Natsumi."

"Whatever. It contains a lot of good things and we're gonna use it."

"Forget it! Can't you read? It says '_forbidden_'!

She shrugged. Then she leaned over and whispered: "We're gonna _switch places_!"

"That's impossible!" her cousin gasped. "We can never…"

"Yes we can. We're of the same age, and pretty similar."

"… I suppose so, but…"

"Didn't you say the other day how much you've wanted to be better than Itachi? Fool him instead!" She was excited by her new idea and Sasuke hesitated, knowing fully well that when she was in the picture, anything could happen. But the opportunity to deceive Itachi was priceless.

"We can try..." he finally admitted, not so convinced that this was a good idea.  
The cousins were very similar in many ways. Not only they shared the same raven-black hair and black eyes like most Uchihas had, they also shared the very pale skin color that not all clan members had. Their heights were identical and their weight and body types were also very similar since both of them were kids.

Seeing them from behind, only Natsumi's longer and flatter hair could show which of them that was a girl. Their faces was a bit more different though, she had the same round face as Shisui while Sasuke was more similar to Itachi, having a semblance to lines below his eyes.

The girl's eyes shone bright. "Let's change clothes and hairstyles! They will never found out which one who is the real you and the real me!"

"It won't work", Sasuke remarked. "Have you forgotten something? Our _chakra signatures? _They will give us away immediately!"

She didn't seem affected. "Why did you think I woke up 4 AM to steal the book from grandpa?" She opened the scroll and showed him the description. His eyes widened.

_Chakra Signature Switch._

"You mean we could –"

"That's exactly –

"But –

"I know –"

"But –"

"What?"

"How are we –"

"Don't worry itoko." She smiled mischievously. "They will be so damn fooled!" She burst out in laughter, overexcited by her new idea. Sasuke reluctantly agreed.

The following hours were spent in his room where they prepared everything. Sasuke was hesitant at first, but he couldn't resist a perfect opportunity to fool his prodigy of a brother.

"But it isn't permanently, I hope", he said. His cousin just laughed and brought a scissor. She cut her hair down a great deal until it was as short as Sasuke's and almost as spiky. However, she couldn't manage to get his trademark 'duckass' hair, to her great annoyance. That was something that only Sasuke was born with.

"What are we going to do with my hair?" he wondered, not so happy with the idea of wearing a girlish wig.

"It can be as it is, they won't suspect a thing. I have to cut down my own hair quite often anyway, when I have burned it or chewing gum has being stuck in it. But you'll have to wear some make up though, to make you look more like a girl."

Sasuke frowned. "No way!"

After having an angry stare competition which Sasuke won, she shrugged. "At least make your hair a bit flatter, itoko. You're known in the whole village as the only duckbutt-hair kid."

"Stop calling me that!" Sasuke exclaimed.

Although Natsumi was known for her Naruto-ish attitude she could be rather organized when the situation – the prank - required it. Some hours later they were done with the preparations. Seeing her from behind, there was no doubt about it that Natsumi was Sasuke. She could easily change her voice - one of her most common pranks was to imitate other people on the phone - and she always behaved like a boy normally, so she had no problem with that part. But behaving politely and respectfully to the elders, as Sasuke always did, would be a real pain for her.

Sasuke on the other hand was more insecure. He had no problem with wearing her boyish clothes and having his hair like she did, but he totally refused to wear mascara.

"You're so cute, itoko, that you don't need make up to look like a real girl", Natsumi had giggled, really pissing her cousin off.

Locked into Sasuke's room they did the jutsu; _Chakra signature switch_, which was exactly what it sounded like.

"Our chakra will not disappear; it will only change appearance for a while. The effect will only last for a few days", Sasuke read. "And we can't mold chakra or use any jutsus during that time." He stopped reading and looked at his cousin. "This jutsu must be really great in case of ambushing somebody. If someone senses our chakra, they will think that I am you for _real, _no matter how I look. Even the Sharingan would be fooled."

"Man, that is a really cool jutsu. I wish I knew some more."

Sasuke glanced at her. "If you'd do your homework, you would. You should be happy that I'm capable of doing this, because I do what I'm supposed to in school."

She quickly changed subject instead of arguing back as she used to. Probably she was too impatient to start her new prank.

"You have to do at least ten pranks every hour", she told him gravely. "Never stay still, talk a lot and annoy other people and such. Make sure to get really filthy so they can't examine you too close."

"The same goes for you", Sasuke muttered. "But the other way around, of course. And behave!"

"I'll try. But I'll probably just mess it up."

With that they parted the same afternoon, going to their 'own' homes.

**xxxxxx**

Damn it. Sasuke was locked into Natsumi's room, punished for a prank _she _did before they switched places. Now he had to take the punishment. That really sucked.  
He knew that they expected him – _her – _to try to break free from the room anytime and he was going to do just that. He smiled to himself as he began to undo the locked window. This was going to be fun. I wonder if Nii-san has noticed anything yet? he wondered.

Damn it. For how long was she supposed to kneel for those stupid elders? Natsumi wanted to shoot phlegm in their faces or something. Most of all she was bothered by Sasuke's father. He was really annoying. _Such a jerk, _she thought bitterly as she bowed her head for her 'father'. _How can Itachi and Sasuke stand living with him? _She was expected to be utterly polite to Fugaku, never spoke unless she was being told to and never ask about anything.

The most fun thing was to fool Itachi, of course. She was rather surprised when he suddenly beckoned her to come to him although she had seen Sasuke receive the same treatment many times before. Suddenly she had two fingers in her forehead and she didn't like that.

"Hey, what are you doing?" 'Sasuke' complained rudely.

Itachi looked shocked. "Otouto?"

"How would you feel if somebody flicked your forehead all the time?" she said before she ran into Sasuke's room and laughed her ass off at her cousin's stunned facial expression. Behind her she left a rather confused Itachi.

**xxx**

Early that evening, Sasuke was lying in Natsumi's bed. He already started to feel homesick. He didn't like his cousin's room. It was so messy that he practically had to wade through the stuff on the floor. He had found a pile of homework below her wardrobe and distractedly wondered if she intended to burn it up. He knew that she had big troubles with doing her homework and she really hated the academy.

Only Shisui believed in his little sister. "She has potential", he had told his mother once. "Trust me, that kid will scare all enemy ninjas away as soon as they get sight of her war-zone of a room, her collection of dried snails and…"

"Enough, Shisui!" his mother had snapped. "Don't remind me…"

Natsumi's parents sometimes talked with Sasuke's about her substandard performances and what a shame she was for the prodigy clan. The girl had thrown a tantrum after one of those conversations and she had cried. "I just can't understand that stuff! I hate school!" Then she hid below her uncle's and aunt's double bed and sulked and refused to leave her hideout until Shisui had begged her for at least an hour.

Sasuke only got more depressed by thinking of that episode; it reminded him of his own Nii-san and what his brother always did for him. He pitied himself and wondered why he had agreed to his cousin's idea. There in the darkness fears that Itachi had kept away for so long started to approach him again. Who was going to comfort him if he woke up from a nightmare? Who was going to be there for Sasuke then?

Itachi was in the other end of the district and the tomato-lover couldn't exactly go to Shisui if he couldn't sleep, that would just feel wrong. Shisui wasn't _his_ big brother. Who was going to hold him tight when he was scared, who was going to mumble comforting things to him and kiss his forehead? Who was going to slowly stroke his forehead until he fell asleep? Sasuke wondered on the verge of tears.

Only Nii-san could. But Nii-san wasn't here now. He almost wanted to interrupt the whole thing and go back to Itachi. His older brother wouldn't be angry with him, but their father would when he recognized his son's changed chakra in the morning. Neither Natsumi would appreciate it; she would think that he was far too childish and weak if he couldn't be a night away from home.

Sasuke knew he must stand this, even though a part of him longed to be with his brother. He felt really bad for himself. He clenched the sheets and remembered all the times when he would wake crying and run to his brother's room. He suffered a lot from nightmares, but Itachi was always there to make it better. Sasuke would snuggle close to his sibling's body and cry a bit as Itachi told him that he was safe.

The red-eyed malicious skeleton that lived in Sasuke's wardrobe stayed hidden and the growling beast underneath his bed didn't dare to follow him to the elder's room. Even the intimidating, smiling bear with wheels – a horror he had gotten after watching _Teletubbies_ when he was younger – fled. Nothing could hurt Sasuke when he was lying in his brother's strong arms. Itachi would listen patiently as the child rambled about his illogical, absurd and rather embarrassing dreams in the middle of the night and then say things like: "How would a skeleton ever be able to move on its own? It would only turn to a pile of bones. There's nothing to worry about, otouto."

Once when Sasuke continued looking miserable he said: "I also had lots of nightmares when I was in your age. But Shisui comforted me and taught me that dreams are only projections of our subconscious, not something real and living. As you grow you will learn to deal with your fears and eventually keep them away on your own."

That had made Sasuke wonder. He had a hard time imagining his brother being as scared as he had been when he woke up. He also wondered if he ever would be able to fend for himself. Even the darkness itself was a big fear of his. Itachi used to say: "There's nothing to fear, Sasuke. You know I'm here for you and I would never let you be hurt."

The young Uchiha missed his brother terribly. He was used to have his bigger body lying next to his as an island of safety in the night's darkness. He got more and more convinced that this was a stupid idea but then mentally slapped himself; he was an Uchiha and he _must _stand this. What would his father think if he knew about his doubts?

But Sasuke couldn't keep away the mental images of himself climbing in through Itachi's window and falling down in his arms.

**xxxx**

In the main Uchiha household, Natsumi was fast asleep in Sasuke's room. She had been up late trying to find something useful for her following pranks but the only thing she found was some tape and a scissor. She had been very irritated that Mikoto seemed to have hidden all useful things – plastic insects, fake blood, make up, strings, evil masks and other stuff. Maybe they didn't even have those things in their home and in that case she would have to sneak home and get it.

Itachi was lying in his own bed and felt a strange feeling of loss. He knew that his brother was in the room next to his but he still couldn't suppress the feeling of loneliness. It seemed like Sasuke wouldn't come to him this night and somehow he wished that he would. His bed seemed so big and cold and empty without his sibling. He missed that smaller body that sometimes could cling to him during the night and yelp and whimper slightly in his sleep. And most of all he missed the comfort he himself got from their contact.

The next morning Natsumi had already given in to her needs and had rigged some traps in her cousins' house. But there was not much she could to with only a piece of tape. She managed to pull the prank just in the nick of time before she was caught out.  
She started with watching Fugaku who was going to pour water from the sink in the bathroom. She had placed tape over the tap and when her uncle opened it the water spurted in all directions and moistened his clothes. She had hid well for Sasuke's sake and giggled as Fugaku threw a minor tantrum that his wife had to deal with.

"How did that kid get into our house?" he rambled as if his niece was some kind of insect. That bothered her, but she tried to shrug it off. She wanted to be respected, but when she only got bad reactions on everything she did she became even worse. She started to think up some kind of twisted revenge when another thought hit her.

She wondered if she should steal Itachi's boxers and hang them up on the telephone pile, but soon decided that it wasn't worth it. It would take her at least a half of the day to get up there and Itachi's reaction would not be worth the efforts. But anyway, the thought was tempting. It had been a while since she did something against her oldest cousin.

The fun was soon over when the tiredness from the night before caught up on her. Natsumi stumbled out of her hiding place and hit her head a couple of times when she couldn't get the damn locker to open. As soon as she with great difficulty had managed to sneak past Fugaku who was sitting in the living room she made it to Sasuke's room and fell tiredly asleep on his bed.

**xxx**

No matter how distant the morning could seem for the scared Sasuke, it was soon there. When he slowly got up and began putting on his clothes, he realized that he would have to pull a prank now or the whole clan would be suspicious. After much hesitation and debating with himself and his good nurture he put a bucket filled with ice-cold water over a slightly open door and waited. After a while, he heard a cheerily:

"Bye, I'll –"

"_Shisui! Get back here and clean the dishes right now! This is not a hotel! Shisui!"_

"Too bad, mom–"

With a loud splash, Shisui got the liquid all over him when he carelessly flew the door open as he used to. Temporary blinded and shocked by the ice-cold water he struggled to get it out of his eyes. Sasuke chuckled a bit. He had held a minor grudge against his older cousin because he used to tease him and occupy Itachi. This was his perfect little revenge.

Shisui looked wildly around with Sharingan activated. "_Natsumi!_ You little shit, where are you – I'm already late! My boss will be pissed off! "

Sasuke's laughter gave him away immediately. Satisfied by his cousin's fate he got up and ran like hell. But Shisui was Shisui of the Mirage, the body flicker and another genius of the clan. Sasuke was soon caught by a flight of crows that all possessed the Mangekyo Sharingan. He had to pick off feathers from his hair and clothes quite a while after that.

A while later when Shisui had left the house Sasuke left as well in order to find Natsumi. This had been fun but enough is enough. He didn't have to search long though; she appeared right outside the door.

"What are you doing here?" he hissed. "I thought we switched places!"  
"I went here to bring some stuff", she replied. "Man, your family doesn't even have any fake blood!"

Sasuke sighed. Suddenly he noticed his aunt coming this way. It was best to not be seen around here, because they would probably betray themselves if she started talking with them. And if they would reveal themselves, they would both be punished.

"Quick! Get down!" He pulled his cousin down and they hid behind a bush. "I want to interrupt this technique", he whispered forcefully.

"It will go away by itself."

"I want to change back right now anyway."

She sighed slightly annoyed. "Don't take all of the fun away from me already, itoko. But if you want to, let's meet outside of your house later."

"When?" Sasuke demanded.

She shrugged.

"Two hours", he decided.

"Two hours? Then I've had no time to-"

"If you don't agree I'll go to Nii-san right now and have him change it back."

She frowned. "Sure, we'll meet there then. Don't you enjoy this at all, itoko? I think it's pretty fun!"

Sasuke didn't want to admit the real reason for his uneasiness, especially not to her.

"I have homework to do", he lied. His cousin gave him a look as if to say: _Really? C'mon you crammer! _before she started to crawl out of the bush.

The cousins met outside the Compound among the trees a while later. Sasuke had to wait for a good half of an hour before Natsumi showed up.

"We said two hours! What were you doing?"

"Nothing in particular, itoko", she giggled. "Do you know that you sound exactly like your father right now? And hey, wasn't it a good idea?!"

Sasuke refrained himself from giggling too when he remembered his prank. "You should have seen Shisui's facial expression!"

She frowned. "Or you should have seen Itachi's when I refused to let him poke my forehead!" She burst out in laughter. "He was so shocked!"

Now it was Sasuke's turn to frown. "What did you do to him?"

" Don't worry, itoko. That was so fun; can't we prolong the chakra switch?"

"No! It's enough!"

"Why are you so anxious? Did you have problems with sleeping without Itachi?" she teased.

Sasuke's cheeks adopted a slight pink color. "Stop it!"

"I'm just saying", she said and sounded exactly like Shisui. Sasuke was reminded of said person and frowned.

"I still don't get how we're related", he sulked.

"And I still don't get how you managed to fool us", a voice said from behind them.

Shocked they turned around. "Shisui!" Sasuke gasped and saw the person standing next to him. "What are you two doing here?"

"Nii-san! How did you find out?" Natsumi asked surprised.

Itachi was standing beside his best friend, looking at the kids. "I just came here to get my little brother back. The foolish, adorable, tomato-obsessed one also known as my otouto."

"I am right here", Natsumi lied.

Shisui ruffled her hair. "You've already revealed yourself, imouto. Too bad." Natsumi bit her lip. "But I must say that you look very similar to Sasuke. Man, who would've known that Konoha could hold two duck-ass-hair kids at the same time?"

Sasuke glared at him.

"That moreover decided to switch place with each other?" Itachi added, smirking a bit.

He looked straight at 'Natsumi.' Sasuke knew that he was revealed as soon as he met his brother's gaze. Itachi knew it too. "Better luck next time, Sasuke."

Itachi's sibling pouted and his facial expression immediately gave him away for them all. Sasuke stepped over to his brother and took hold of his hand. "I'll stay close to you from now on, nii-san. I didn't like being away from you", he confessed. Itachi smiled down at him tenderly.

"I missed you too otouto, although I didn't know that you were away. I just... felt strange." He remembered the odd feeling of loss he had gotten the other night.

"That explains everything", Shisui said, half grinning, half muttering. "I must admit that I was fooled by you brats for a short while."  
"Me too", Itachi said and looked at his contemporary cousin in silent agreement. Sasuke let go of Itachi's hand and exchanged a glance with Natsumi.

"You're going to get it for this", Shisui muttered. He didn't accept that two brats like his little cousin and little sister had managed to deceive him. "Don't think you can escape, kiddos. No one fools us and gets away with it." He smiled significatively at Itachi who returned the gesture. It would benefit to teach their little ones a lesson...

The kids weren't able to escape the awaiting cuddle and tickling session with their big brothers but trust that they were going to try.

"Run, itoko!" Natsumi exclaimed. To her, the new game had already started. She and Sasuke rushed off, laughing and squealing in excitement. "You will never catch us!"

"Let's see about that." Shisui and Itachi smirked at each other for a moment before they set off after their siblings.

**.**

* * *

Note: Itoko means 'cousin'

Imouto : (little) sister

Otouto (little) brother

I'm not completely satisfied with how this chapter turned out, but I guess I'm just in a mood when I don't like anything I write. But anyway, feedback is greatly appreciated!


	12. Lost

**A/N:** Again, lots of hugs to everyone who has reviewed/followed/favorited this story, it means a lot!

I'm starting on some new stories soon and I'm very curious about which kind of Itachi/Sasuke story you would like to read next.  
So please take my poll, your opinion matters!

**Chapter 12: Lost**

* * *

Mikoto was standing at the kitchen counter as usual; cleaning up some dishes when her youngest son came running into the room.

"Kaa-san, I have a question!"

She turned around. "What is it, Sasuke?"

His eyes sparkled. "How do you show somebody that you love them?"

Mikoto raised her eyebrows a bit. "Well darling… it depends. You can kiss them, that's a very nice way to show love. "

Sasuke tilted his head to the side. Kiss them on the cheek... As kaa-san and nii-san always do to me? he wondered. Or be more 'romantic' as the annoying girls in his class babbled about – kiss them on the mouth?

"I'll kiss them", he decided.

His mother smiled. "Is there someone special you have in mind, sweetheart?"

Sasuke shook his head. "No. But thanks. I'm going out to greet nii-san now."

When her son had hurried out of the room, Mikoto's smile froze.

Who exactly was Sasuke thinking of?

"Nii-san!" Sasuke ran up to his brother who just had come home. "Welcome home, nii-san!" He wrapped his arms around Itachi's stomach and hugged him tightly. The elder's surprised facial expression soon turned into a smile. Nothing was better than seeing his very own angel come rushing towards him, his beautiful face bathing in afternoon sunlight and joy.

"Thank you, otouto."

Sasuke tugged at his brother's sleeve and the older boy lifted him up. The child wrapped his legs around his brother's waist and suddenly his small lips found his. Itachi's eyes widened, surprised by the extra warm welcoming.

The younger boy pulled back with rosy cheeks. "I love you, nii-san."

"Sasuke…" Itachi frowned. They had never shared any romantic moment in public before.

"Aren't you supposed to kiss the one you love?" Sasuke said innocently, very pleased with himself. His stunning face was overtaking Itachi's whole vision, his sparkling eyes and his pink lips so close to the elder.

"Yes otouto, I suppose you are…"

Why was Itachi so doubtful all of a sudden? Sasuke felt as if he got a kick in his stomach. Suddenly tears threatened to well up in his eyes, an automatic response to the unexpected reaction. "Don't you love me, aniki?"

"Of course I do!" That wasn't what I was planning, Itachi thought, blaming himself for saddening his little brother. It was just one petty little thing that had made him react that way – siblings were not supposed to kiss each other when they returned home. But they were alone right now and the last thing he wanted to do was to hurt Sasuke.

Determination filled his eyes and he leaned over and kissed his Sasuke firmly. The younger boy was instantly overjoyed. He grabbed Itachi's hair and closed his eyes, responding eagerly with clumsy inexperience. Some seconds later Itachi reluctantly pulled back. He had not forgotten that they were standing in front of their house, visible to anyone.

"Nii-san…" Sasuke gasped. Itachi smiled warmly at him. "I love you, Sasuke. I love you very very much."

The child smiled, both triumphantly and happily. Itachi decided to put him down before their mother saw them. He earned a disappointed pout from his brother. He put a thumb over Sasuke's lips for a moment to sooth the pout, caressing them hastily.

"We can't let anyone see this, Sasuke", he said.

"Why, aniki?"

Still, Sasuke was so innocent.

"…Let's just say that we… aren't supposed to be together this way, to touch each other this way, otouto."

Sasuke was appalled and completely ignorant. "But… we love each other, nii-san! What's wrong with this? Can't people love the one they want or what?"

Itachi didn't know if he was happy or sad about Sasuke's oblivion to the society's rules about incestuous relationships. Incest… it was such a dirty, tainted word. It was one of the most disgusting things that were known; it's forbidden and despised in all countries and cultures. It was just as bad as fratricide or cannibalism.

Was Itachi a pervert, a sick freak because he loved his brother so much that he hardly could stand it sometimes? For loving his brother _too _much? Which laws of nature forbid that kind of thing? He couldn't see exactly where he committed the big crime. But he knew that someone who has a relationship with their sibling is a criminal. No matter if they would give up their life for said sibling.

Itachi wouldn't care at all what people said about them but for Sasuke's sake he wanted to keep it a secret. After working as a spy for such a long time, he knew how fragile a secret could be. Windows are transparent and walls are thin. If people got to know… Sasuke's teachers and classmates, Itachi's ANBU comrades and their whole clan… Rumors could spread fast and most horrible things could happen. They could not let anyone know about this under any circumstances.

All Sasuke knew, was that he loved Itachi infinitely. Why would foolish human assumptions and rules keep them apart? Itachi was aware of what could happen.  
Sometimes he wondered if their mother, who so often saw them rush away together, had noticed anything. Itachi felt as if it shone and sparkled around them from all feelings.

Sometimes Itachi thought it was a curse. A curse to be siblings, restrained to the sibling kind of affection. They weren't even different genders, to begin with. He loved Sasuke more than his own life, but the world had no mercy, no understanding for that. So many things told him that it was wrong. Wrong, sick, abnormal, deprived …

And there was always a limit to what they could do in public. They would never be able to kiss, hold hands or embrace each other in front of other people, because it was not _right. _With their relationship they broke the laws of the world itself and crossed every possible line.

A short, innocent welcome-hug or a kiss on Sasuke's forehead was the only thing that still was allowed. Nothing romantic, just a sign of sibling affection. That was all they could do. It was all about acting. Itachi was used to it, but not Sasuke. When they were in public, they had to act like ordinary siblings. It was a play, an act. But their relationship and everything about it was real.

Sometimes he wondered how big part of him that was still Sasuke's brother. Sometimes he felt like he wasn't, even though their forbidden, sweet, heartbreaking relationship reminded them every day. Sometimes Itachi wished that he was a girl in Sasuke's age, someone who would have the _right _to love him without arousing questions, whispers and looks. Not that Sasuke would ever fall for a girl, but anyway.

When two toddlers tell each other that they're going to marry and love each other for all eternity, people think it's cute. Even if they are siblings.  
But what if one of them is a teenager and the other one a growing kid? Then it is hardly cute anymore. Even worse, if both of them is teenagers. Sasuke grew so quickly and soon the limit for what was "acceptable" was crossed.

_It's quite normal that siblings find each other attractive in their teenage years, I read somewhere, _Shisui had said once, _but Sasuke is just a kid, so... I guess you're out of luck._

And moreover, Sasuke and Itachi often slept in the same bed during the nights, something they had done since Sasuke was newborn. But now it started to look weird, the two of them sleeping entangled like a couple, breathing the same air, feeling each other's warmth so close. Sasuke was soon eight years old and it already looked quite abnormal.

But 'right' or not, a feeling is a feeling and Itachi knew that what he felt for Sasuke was something his heart wasn't able to contain. It was not big enough to contain all those oceans of love, adoration and attachment he felt for his brother. As long as they could be together, there was really no need to care what other people might think.

_Screw them, _Shisui had said, _they know nothing. All this "love-straight-relationship"-thing is so highly overrated. _

Itachi swept his hand through Sasuke's black spikes and smiled. Nothing was going to bring them apart. Ever.  
A happy barking interrupted his thoughts. Both brothers turned around and saw a dog come running towards them from the other end of the street.

"Muffin! There you are!" Itachi called out.

Sasuke was surprised and really confused. Since when did Itachi befriend a dog?  
The grey little thing rushed eagerly over to the elder Uchiha. Itachi lifted it up and it licked his face while barking loudly. The long-haired ravenette smiled affectionately.

Sasuke felt a sting of jealousness. He immediately decided that he didn't like it. "What's _that_?" he asked.

"His name is Muffin", Itachi answered as the dog kept licking him. Sasuke glared at it. Only _he _was allowed to be so close to his aniki… he couldn't remember Itachi ever smiling to anyone else than _him _like that. Sasuke resisted the impulse to put his hands over his ears to shut out the barking.

"What is it doing here?" he asked sourly. Itachi glanced at him.

"Muffin belongs to a friend of mine. I've promised to take care of him for some days while his owner is away on a mission."

Sasuke felt slight relief in the black bitterness. The annoying mutt would only keep his brother busy for some days… no, _no_ days.

"Come and train with me today, nii-san!" he said, hoping that it would keep his brother away from the dog. Sasuke knew that he behaved childishly, but he just couldn't stand any intruder to his and Itachi's special relationship. But he already sensed what the answer would be.

Itachi put Muffin down on the ground. "Sorry, Sasuke, not today. I feel that I owe Muffin some playtime; it was a good while since I last saw him. But of course you can join us if you want to."

Sasuke hated how he said 'us' as if Itachi and the damn dog were best buddies. Call him 'otouto' too and everything will be perfect, he thought with such intensity that he must have been green in his face from jealousness. The dog ran up to him with the force of a frigging bullet and Sasuke angrily moved out of the way.

"He won't hurt you, otouto, he just want to greet you", Itachi encouraged.

I can train without some stupid dog, Sasuke thought sulking. His good mood had disappeared. "No thanks", he said, sending the dog an ice-cold glare which it didn't seem to notice. "I'm going to train on my own."

Sasuke demonstratively turned around. When he had walked past the training grounds he stopped, hoping that Itachi would change his mind and join him. But his anger increased when he saw that his brother was totally absorbed by the dog. Itachi didn't even look at him; he was kneeling by the barking thing and ruffled its fur. Sasuke rushed into the woods angrily.

He decided that everything was the dog's fault. And that name too. Who names a dog to 'Muffin', seriously?

Not could something like that come between them?  
It felt like that.

**xxx**

Sasuke threw some kunais towards a tree. His aim was perfect; all of them hit the bark in a straight line. He needed a real challenge. He started walking deeper into the forest in search for a better target. If he could hit a tree from a three hundred yards distance, he would get extra points on the next test in the Academy. But as soon as his goal was accomplished, he searched for new challenges.

Sasuke walked deeper and deeper into the woods without noticing that he was doing it. The tall trees that surrounded him from all sides were oddly comforting. He randomly picked a tree and used it as target for some kunais and then collected them again. He tested a new shuriken technique his brother had taught him recently, without success. He needed Itachi's advices now, for exactly how much he should flick his wrist or which angle he should have. But Nii-san spent time with _that _dog right now, so Sasuke was alone. It felt as if he was the only one in the whole world; he didn't see a single person in the woods besides himself. He continued anyway, wishing again that his brother was here right now. He remembered the times when he went out training with him.

_He watched as his brother flew the kunais in all directions. Itachi let go of them with inhuman grace in his strong hands and then turned around in the air. His shirt went up and revealed a bit of soft pale belly, telling that even he had been a very small child once upon a time. With the soft grace that only he possessed Itachi hit the ground with a soft thud and immediately stood up, perfectly in balance. _

Every time Sasuke trained he kept the memory of his brother in his mind and tried to imitate every single move, but he could never adopt that grace that came from years of endless practice.

After a while the young Uchiha passed a lake. He came from a different direction than he used to and therefore it took a while before he recognized it as the lake where had learned to control his chakra. He remembered Itachi holding him as he took his first steps on the water's surface. Now he easily stepped over it and ignored his reflection in the water – where his brother's reflection should be, right beside his own. Then he walked into a little meadow with much fewer trees and more open space.

Sasuke wished that he had brought food. He must have been walking around for at least three hours now. He hoped that he would come across a tomato farm, although he knew that it was highly unlikely out here in the middle of nowhere. A brown, small little animal jumped past him with a dead mouse in its mouth. A weasel.

That immediately brought Sasuke's thoughts back to the one person he couldn't stop thinking about. He looked into the animal's pitch black, cold eyes and wondered; whose stupid idea was it to name Nii-san after a weasel? Itachi was kind and gentle and should not be compared with that animal. But on the other hand, he shared the same name as it.

Sasuke got a slight feeling of discomfort when he looked around and only saw trees everywhere, surrounding the little meadow. He could hear Shisui's voice in his head now, remembering an old conversation.

"_Hey Sasuke, you better watch out."_

"_Huh?"_

"_Deep into the forest, there's an old geezer who feeds on naughty kids. So don't go to deep in there itoko, or that old man will eat you up!"_

"_Nii-san! Shisui is lying, isn't he? There's not an old man who lives in the forest and eats children, right?"  
_

_"Of course not, Sasuke. But don't go too far in there anyway. You might get lost."_

"_That was what I was trying to say, Itachi! … In my way."_

Sasuke sniffed when he remembered Itachi's raised eyebrows as he looked disbelieving at their cousin and then ruffled Sasuke's hair. He was starting to feel a bit unsecure by now.  
He knew that there was no old geezer. But… what if… what if Sasuke met him? That thought was literally scaring the heck out of him and he hurried his steps, until he realized that he did not know where he was going.

Wait a moment, hadn't he been here before? That tree seemed familiar somehow … or maybe not. Sasuke was becoming more and more confused. He sat down on a stone and tried to figure out what to do. He was pretty sure which direction he came from (_rather_ sure, anyway) and he couldn't have gone so far from home, right?

Hopefully not.

**xxx**

Mikoto was just starting with the dinner when she heard the front door open. She looked at the sky for a moment through the window. Dark gray clouds filled the sky and a rumble was heard. It's going to be a thunderstorm, she thought a bit anxiously. Why did her children stay out for so long?

"Itachi?" she asked reprimanding when her oldest son came into the room with the dog and dried its fur with a towel.

"Yes mother?" Muffin shook his fur and water drops landed on the floor. It must already have started raining.  
The reprimand she was about to give him for staying out so long got lost when she noticed the absence. "Where is Sasuke?"

Itachi looked up at her, slightly surprised. "He went out training on his own. Hasn't he come back yet?"

"No", Mikoto answered and started to feel more concerned. "It's a storm outside. Where did he go?"

Itachi's answer was drowned by a louder rumble from the sky and a flash of light rushed past the window. The prodigy stood up. "I'm going out to search for him", he said. "Muffin, come on." The dog protested and wanted to stay in the warm house, but as soon as Itachi had left the house it ran after him.

"Be careful", Mikoto warned although she knew that she didn't need to be too concerned. When Itachi was in the picture, the risk of something happening to Sasuke was extremely small.

Itachi became more worried as his Sharingan lead him further and further away from their house. It was not like Sasuke to go so deep into the forest. What if something had happened? He felt his heart beat faster as he considered the possibilities. What if his brother had been attacked by a wild animal or some enemy ninjas?

He had gotten an unknown cold feeling inside of him now and he hurried his steps. Stories that Shisui had told him as jokes started to haunt him. There were sick people out there, people who murdered kids... Itachi struggled to keep his imagination and himself in control. He knew better than to believe any of his cousin's words, but now it was hard. He was now actively searching with his Sharingan for traces of Sasuke's chakra. There was not much things that he really cared about neither could make him worried, but this clearly did. If something happened to Sasuke, how would he ever be able to forgive himself?

**xxx**

Sasuke was still walking around in the forest and actually had a rather nice time. He pretended that he had an S-ranked mission and was fully engaged in his game. He jumped from stone to stone, pretending that the ground was a sea of boiling lava. That was, until he heard an earsplitting loud rumble nearby that terrified him. He jumped down into the lava sea and hid below some rocks, crouching to a small ball. His clothes got filthy from the soft soil on the ground and he laid there scared, wondering what he should do. It started to rain heavily and the rumbles continued.

He tried to make himself as small as possible and watched some insects move around on the ground beside him. They were the only company he had now. If he dared to turn his head he could see the forest as a compact wall around him and that was frightening. He saw a flash of white light that probably hit a tree, judging by the sound it made when it hit the ground. He had always been afraid of thunder.

"Nii-san…" he mumbled miserably, "Where are you nii-san? Where are you?" He was used to have his brother around to keep him safe at all times, and now Sasuke had gone so far away from home that there was no chance anyone would find him. He talked quietly to himself but instead of calming down his panic increased. His face distorted in a grimace of sorrow when his tears overflowed and he sobbed. "Am I going to die here?"

He hugged himself firmly and water drops ran down his hair and mixed with his tears. He sniffed and sobbed, wondering if anyone cared about him anymore. But why would they? He was just a lost child desperately calling for his brother.

It's hopeless, Sasuke thought despairing. I will never find the way home; I will never see okaa-san and otou-san and nii-san again…

He whimpered to himself when the thought of his beloved brother surfaced. He was terrified, gasping and crying. A wet tongue found its way to his face and licked it. Sasuke didn't even try to push it away. Now I'm going to be eaten by wild animals, he thought depressed.

Not until the gray thing that was suspiciously similar to the devil Sasuke had encountered earlier jumped out of the way, he started to understand. He heard a faint call, hardly audible by the storm, but still clear as crystal for the child.

"Sasuke!"

The child wiped his tears away and sat up. He couldn't see a thing, only rain. Then he heard it again. "Where are you, otouto? Sasuke!"

He heard Itachi's voice clearly now among all the trees and stones. The elder had apparently recognized his presence.  
Muffin jumped out of the way and Sasuke finally saw his brother. Pure instinct for survival made him jump to his feet and he got an adrenaline kick that was so strong that he felt almost all of his energy return.

Itachi felt his heart beat wildly as he looked for his brother. God, where had the kid gone? And now Muffin had disappeared too, after spotting a rabbit and jumping into a shrubbery.

"Nii-san!" A scared little black-haired boy rushed up to him, stumbling among the stones but not for a second hesitating to get up and continue running, wet and crying. Relief and fear were written all over his black, watery eyes.

"Sasuke!" Itachi gasped. He spread his arms and the child was soon wrapped in a protecting embrace. "Sasuke", he mumbled. "Sasuke. My foolish, foolish little Sasuke." He hugged his sibling so tight he could without crushing him and cradled him in his arms.

"Nii-san… An-niki…" Sobbing and gasping of relief and fear of never seeing his beloved brother again, Sasuke cried wildly as he clung to Itachi as if he was about to drown. His arms were so tightly wrapped around the elder's neck that it would have suffocated an ordinary human. Itachi had to release his brother's grip a bit to be able to breathe properly. He held him tightly and tried to shield the smaller body as much as he could with his own to make Sasuke feel safe. The storm and the rain around them didn't matter; the surrounding world had ceased to exist the moment they found each other again.

His little brother's breaths were coming in small, rapidly puffs of breaths. Itachi needed to calm Sasuke before the child went hysterical. The younger boy seemed to have gotten some kind of shock.

"Hush, otouto, I am here, I am here", he repeated slowly and reassuring. "Everything is going to be fine, you don't have to worry." He knew that one must calm and comfort a shocked person as much as possible. He rubbed soothing circles over the child's back and continued to comfort him. "Foolish otouto", he mumbled. "Why did you go so deep into the forest?" His voice was soft, relieved as well but had a hint of concern that was unusual for him.

"I don't know… nii-san…." Sasuke hugged his brother tightly and once again felt like a small, small child.

"It was Muffin who found you", Itachi added when he saw that said dog had returned. Sasuke glanced down at the dog that sat patiently at Itachi's feet like it was waiting for a reward. However, Itachi wasn't sparing it a single glance right now and Sasuke was very pleased by that.

"Are you angry with me, nii-san?" he whispered.

Itachi buried his face against his neck and exhaled. "No, of course not, but I must admit that you scared me. It's getting dark. Thank God that you're safe."  
Sasuke for the first time looked around and realized that he really had no idea where he was. The sky was dark blue and the trees had melted together in black.

He tightened his grip around Itachi. "I didn't mean to, nii-san! I really didn't! I promise I won't do it again!"

"Whatever you are talking about; it's okay. Never run away from me like that again, otouto."

Sasuke buried his face against the elder's chest without another word. Itachi carried him home with relief in his eyes.

**xx**

The first thing Mikoto saw when the door opened was Itachi's tall, slender figure, carrying a smaller form. He was closely followed by the dog. She hurried forward as Itachi put his brother down on the floor. She examined them worried.

"You're soaking wet! Itachi, go and change clothes at once before you catch a cold", she ordered her oldest son. When she used that tone even he had to obey.

Then she turned to her youngest child, who was standing miserably in a puddle of rain with shaking teeth. "Come here, I'll help you get dry."

"You don't need to -" Sasuke started to protest. She ignored him and brought him dry clothes. When he had changed she wrapped him in a towel and dried his hair with another one. "Tell me if you start freezing again, darling. Itachi, do you need one too?" she asked and held out a towel for her older son who stepped into the room. Itachi shook his head and some water drops flew from his long hair and landed on the floor. Muffin did the same and Mikoto frowned. "I'll make you some tea. Geez, it must be a real storm outside. What were you doing?"

"Sasuke was not far away, Kaa-san, he had just forgotten the time", Itachi answered smoothly with a perfectly flawless poker face. Mikoto would have bought it if she hadn't caught the look her sons were exchanging in that moment. She chuckled and went to the kitchen, deciding to let it be. They followed her and sat down by the table. Sasuke crawled into Itachi's lap and wrapped his arms around him.

"Thanks for saving me, aniki", he whispered.

"You're welcome", Itachi answered with his lips just some inches away from his brother's. "And you don't have to thank me. What kind of big brother would I be if I let you sleep in the woods all night? In this weather too?" he chuckled. Sasuke pouted and Itachi could not help himself, he leaned closer and closed the last distance between them. He closed his eyes as his lips caressed the child's soft mouth. Sasuke's surprised gasp tore them apart a moment later. "Nii-san!" he whispered. "What if Kaa-san sees us? You said -"

"Don't worry, otouto", his sibling smiled and placed them in a less suspicious position just as Mikoto turned around. She placed the two steamy cups in front of them. "Now make sure to get warm", she reprimanded them. "It wouldn't be fun if you caught a cold, right, sweethearts?" She smiled and left the room.

Sasuke looked up at his brother. "Nii-san, you're so great... you're my hero."

"Come here otouto. "Itachi's face was so tender and Sasuke was filled with even more adoration for his wonderful Aniki. This time they didn't had to be as careful, they could share a longer and deeper kiss. Sasuke entangled his fingers in his brother's hair and kept them together. Itachi's warm tongue carefully licked at his lips and without knowing why Sasuke opened his mouth.

After that they were absorbed by a comfortable silence as they sipped at their tea. Sasuke was sitting in his brothers lap with his back leaned against his chest.

Muffin scampered over to them, panting. Itachi threw something small up in the air and the dog swiftly opened his mouth and caught the candy. Sasuke scowled. _That thing_ was still left in their life, stealing his Nii-san from him. Itachi seemed to sense his mood. One of his hands entangled with Sasuke's.

"Otouto… don't tell me you were jealous of the dog?"

A slight blush adorned Sasuke's cheeks. He didn't say anything as Itachi turned him around and embraced him. The child's pride prevented him from answering even when the elder placed soft kisses on his cheeks and forehead.

"Foolish little brother", Itachi chuckled. Sasuke pouted, feeling more and more embarrassed. Suddenly another pair of lips soothed his pouting one. When they broke apart for breathing he mumbled:

"Nothing can ever replace you and you know that."

Sasuke kissed his lips, feeling calmed. Maybe it wasn't so bad with a dog anyway. When he came to think of it, if it wasn't for Muffin he would still have been hiding below a log somewhere in the middle of a heavy thunderstorm. He gave the dog a somewhat friendlier glance and it responded immediately by rushing over to him and lick his hand affectionately.

Sasuke nuzzled Itachi's shoulder and tightened his grip around him. "Nii-san", he sighed contently before closing his eyes. Itachi rocked him slowly, keeping one arm around him to hold him in place and the other to drink his tea. Soon Sasuke was sound asleep against his chest. Muffin curled to a ball on the floor beside Itachi.

Mikoto sat down on the other side of the table and talked quietly with her oldest son about nothing in particular. It had been so long since they last had time to talk. Outside the house the wind tugged at the poor trees and almost uprooted them from the ground.

"Your father is soon home, I must clean up here now", Mikoto said after a while and got up from the floor. "No, let me do it", Itachi required. "Take Sasuke." He tenderly lifted his sleeping brother to their mother. Mikoto rested her child's head against her shoulder and carried him to bed while Itachi cleaned up in the kitchen. When she came back she watched him for a moment or two before calling his name.

He turned around and looked at her without letting any feeling leak through his calm, expressionless façade. Surprising them both, Mikoto pulled him into a tender embrace. She could feel her son's surprise as well as her own as she hugged him affectionately. She wanted express all of her worry, her gratefulness, and her comfort. Every day she was reminded of what Itachi did for his brother and no mother could have been more proud.

To her shock, Itachi returned the hug. She had missed all these times. She couldn't remember the last time she hugged her eldest son; he became more distant by every day. She couldn't suppress the feeling that he was going further and further away from his family by each day.

But now he was here, safe. Mikoto breathed his scent for a short moment before they let go.

"Thank you", she said quietly, "for looking after Sasuke and taking care of him the way you do. Your recognition means everything to him", she said truthfully. "If only your father could see him too…"

"I will always love Sasuke", Itachi said without hesitation. "As long as I can be there for him, I will do everything I can."

Mikoto smiled. "Itachi…" Now it was his turn to look surprised when she suddenly stroked one of his black bangs that always was hiding his forehead out of his face. She looked at him motherly.

"I know that you always will. And I know that Sasuke will never look up to anyone else the way he adores you."

* * *

**xxx****  
**This was everything for this time! See ya and don't forget to take my poll! ^^


	13. Mother

**A/N: This chapter is dedicated to Mikoto Uchiha, a character I think should've gotten more attention. Many of the readers adore her and I think her character is interesting. She is the only woman in the clan we've seen in real action and I think her life was hell. And the truth remains that we don't know much about her real motives and thinking about the coup d'état. So this chapter is like, a collection of one-shots about her life. Enough of my babbling... this chapter is already way to long…*sweatdrops* xD**

**Chapter 13. Mother  
**

* * *

_During the children's lives, every moment after their birth, it's the mother who bears everything.  
All the pain, the worry and care, it's hers. Her children will be her greatest joy and her deepest source of sorrow. She carries it all on her shoulders. And when the day of the end comes, she will fall with them._

**1. **

The sun was still standing high and glowed gold over the afternoon sky. Everything was calm and peaceful and swift breezes ruffled the trees dark green leaves. The air was finally cooling down a bit; it had been almost frowzy and too hot during the earlier hours. It was the end of July and the night was slowly making its entrance, sweeping in over the calm village along with the clouds. Every inhabitant enjoyed the peace. Two years had passed since the war and not many of them had forgotten. They had come to appreciate peace more than ever before and even in Konoha's center where people used to go out and drink at night was calmer.

Itachi led Shisui in the backyard behind his house where he used to train with his kunais. His older cousin was doubtful and curious. The smaller Uchiha stepped over to the well sheltered and shadowed basket that was placed on a table next to the terrace door. Itachi bent over it and lifted the two layers of mosquito net that Mikoto had put over the basket that resembled a crib.

"This is my brother."

Shisui looked over his friend's shoulder with wide, disbelieving eyes. At first he only saw a pile of soft, white blankets. It took a while before he distinguished the rest of it - a small head and some black hair. Tiny lined hands, tinier than he ever had seen before, sprawled in the air. A minimal chest raising and sinking almost intangible as the baby breathed. Closed, swollen eyelids, round cheeks and a tiny mouth that was slightly open. He was wrapped like a cabbage roll in all those blankets and was moreover dressed in a blue jumpsuit with the Uchiha crest symbol on it. Shisui wondered why the kid didn't die of a heatstroke.

"He sure is small", was the only thing he could think of saying.

Itachi carefully placed his hands on the small little creature and lifted him up, freeing him from the blankets. He held his little brother with outmost care, supporting his head and bottom. Shisui had had no idea that Itachi who was so strong and beat him every time they were sparring could be so gentle.

The little pink thing also known as Sasuke yelped slightly and his arms moved a bit.

"Hush, otouto. Nii-san is here." Shisui could only stare lamely as Itachi smiled wholeheartedly at his brother and rocked him gently, more tender than he ever had seen him before.

"How old is he?"

"A week."

"… A week? Isn't it too early to… to take him out like this?"

A kind voice was suddenly heard behind Shisui. "You got a little sister recently, didn't you, Shisui? How is she doing?"

Shisui turned around and felt his cheeks began to heat with embarrassment. Mikoto must have heard his lame question. He bowed his head deeply in respect for Itachi's mother.

"She is doing fine. Thank you, Mikoto-san."

She smiled and ruffled his hair. "No need to be so polite, Shisui. You are a part of the family and I'm very happy for the support you've given Itachi."

Shisui actually adored his aunt. He wished that he had such a mother. His own mom only thought about cleaning the house all the time and she had been even more troublesome during her pregnancy.

Mikoto was so calm where she stood, smiling lovingly with the same yellow apron as she always wore tied around her waist that was still a bit plump since the delivery. Itachi gave Sasuke to her and the tiny body was placed in her arms. Sasuke seemed to still be floating around in the mindless world inside of his mother's womb.

Itachi was standing like a lifeguard beside him and Shisui knew one thing for sure – with that mother and that brother, no kid could be safer than Uchiha Sasuke.  
For Mikoto, that moment when she held her child was just as fragile as every moment before. She walked into the house with her baby. As the village of Konohagakure slowly fell into darkness, her own life started.

**2.  
**

Routines, always the routines. Without them she couldn't do a thing. But she was an Uchiha after all, and she was shining in her own skills.  
She could clean, cook, feed Sasuke, carry out the dirty laundry, ask Itachi how his day had been _and_ greet her husband at the same time. She was woman for sure.

And she was finally getting it right, after three months. She was moving like a puppet sometimes, she knew everything that needed to be done.

Feed Sasuke. Change diaper. Put to sleep. Feed. Change diaper. Put to sleep. Feed. Change, sleep. Change, feed, sleep. Feed, sleep, change… It was so easy to lose everything. Was the kid _already_ hungry _again_? It felt like an hour since she last fed him, but with something similar to shock she realized that three had passed already.

Fugaku was sleeping. Itachi was sleeping. And she was awoke in the middle of the night with a screaming kid that just _refused_ to fall asleep this night too and about five hours she should be up making breakfast for the rest of the family and cleaning the house. Nights like this, no, every night, she felt that being woman was the biggest mistake she'd ever done. And she hadn't even had a chance to decide.

It was so much worry related to the new little one. When he ate; is he starving? When he refused to eat; is he sick? When he didn't sleep; is he in pain? When he slept; is he really breathing? A life in her hands, so much could go wrong.

It had been over six years since she last had twenty-four hours service for another living being but she couldn't remember it being this tough. Not that everything was just roses and peaches with Itachi, but Sasuke was worst. He seemed so… fragile in comparison to his older brother. It was easy to become overprotecting of him.

She put her screaming baby down on the floor to change his diaper. Her back and legs ached due to how much she had moved today.

"Hush darling, don't cry, let mom and dad sleep, hush, Sasuke…"

Her voice could get an annoyed tone sometimes. She tried to be as soft as she wanted, but it was hard. She was exhausted and she was expected to do all the work by herself. Sasuke just cried and cried, his chubby little legs kicking. He was three months old and he was never, _ever,_ quiet during the night. Whoever said having a baby is a only bliss has never experienced it.

"So, so, darling, there we go…" she talked quietly and softly to him, trying to calm him down. But none of Sasuke's parents were able to calm him. Only Itachi was. And he was asleep right now; he would need all sleep he could get for the following day's mission and Mikoto wasn't allowed by Fugaku to ever wake their eldest son up.

Sasuke was hungry again. And his mother just wanted to fall asleep, right there on the cold floor. The other women in the clan could look disapproving at her when they saw her at meetings; _why doesn't she sleep at night so that she can serve her husband and take care of the house properly?  
_Everything had gotten just an inch messier in their house, just a faint extra layer of dust on the shelves. Every day she was exhausted and she had barely woken up on the morning before she felt the need to fall asleep again. But still she wondered how her clan fellows could be so stupid. _I have a newborn, it's not like I can just go to sleep whenever I want. I never sleep. _

Sighing, Mikoto walked into her and Fugaku's bedroom. She sat down on the edge of their bed and put her child to her breast. She struggled to keep her eyelids from falling together.  
Looking down, she noticed that Sasuke for the first time in his life had fallen asleep during a meal. Mikoto was too tired to rejoice; she just pulled her shirt up and let herself fall backwards on the bed with her baby in her arms. Before her body even had hit the mattress she was fast asleep.

The morning found her slowly waking up with a headache. Sasuke was lying on her stomach whimpering slightly. Her little miracle.  
When she sat up she noticed that Fugaku had already gone to work. Itachi was standing beside the bed. His face was slightly worried and his eyes were directly set on Sasuke.

"Mother?"

"I'm okay, darling; just hold your brother for a bit while I make breakfast…"

The baby's whimpers turned into yelps. She placed the small bundle in Itachi's waiting arms, and the boy talked with the baby:

"Good morning, otouto. How are you doing?" The little child recognized his brother's calm, warm voice and silenced. Itachi quietly sang a lullaby to the baby. He bent slightly forward and smiled as Sasuke's tiny hand grabbed a strand of his hair.

And not a minute after Itachi took hold of his brother the baby remained completely calm instead of starting to cry. Itachi was Mikoto's lifesaver sometimes.  
After breakfast, she stopped in her chores when she spotted them through the open door.

Moments like this always brought a smile to her face.

Sasuke was placed on the tatami floor, lying there helpless, innocent and small. Itachi knelt beside him and gently poked his forehead. Then he stuck his finger into Sasuke's closed hand and the baby automatically clenched around it.

It melted her heart to hear the once emotionless boy talking with the baby: "Otouto, I'm here for you. When you get older, you can always turn to me. I will be there for you, Sasuke, if there's something you want to talk about or if you're confused, sad, worried or just happy. I will be there."

She almost got tears in her eyes by listening to them. Sasuke's small yelps and Itachi's warm voice... They were already sharing a unique bond.

When Itachi had gone to school she started dressing her youngest child. This child, somebody she had wanted. Not to say that she didn't love Itachi, but it was different with Sasuke. Mikoto had been more or less forced to the bed at the age of 19 to give Fugaku his first son. It was too early for them all; just as Itachi developed all too fast. She remembered the years before Sasuke was born.

Somebody whose first toy was a kunai, who could walk at the age of six months and talk one month later it wasn't easy to be a mother to. Itachi had been a very distressed child at first, but he soon became quiet. All to quiet. He could write and read properly when he was two years old. He was truly a genius, a prodigy that never had been seen before and Fugaku was so proud, but he did wrong. He turned his son into a killing machine. Due to that, Itachi was always away. So quiet, unreadable, unreachable.

A silent child. And Mikoto knew that the silent children suffer the most.

The war that broke out between Konoha of the Leaf, Suna of the Sand and Iwa of the Stone when Itachi was only four years old had affected him deeply. Still Mikoto couldn't protest when Fugaku brought the child to the bloody battlefield. Her husband decided everything. Mikoto would never forget the expression in her little boy's face that day when he came home together with his father. Itachi had held a bloody kunai in a convulsively grip and she understood that the unspeakable had happened.

Itachi was never the same after that. The last piece of a child's innocence was gone from his eyes. She could often hear him scream in his sleep, plagued by terrible nightmares. More than once she found him vomiting from mental horrors. It was clear to her that his mind was scarred; he was disgusted by himself at the age of four. He always had a stern face and determined eyes, changed for all future.

It was about that time she started to wish for another child. She knew it was wrong of her to think that way, but Mikoto felt the need to start over somehow now when the war had ended. She wanted a 'real' child, somebody she could take care of, read for, say goodnight to and feed. Somebody who wouldn't live under the direct supervision of Fugaku, and not be so overly mature for his age.

So she talked with her husband about it, how she longed for another child. And no matter which the excuses for her desire was, Fugaku agreed. So life moved on, but there was one thing that worried Mikoto more than anything else at that time.

Itachi did not have any friends aside from his cousin.

Not a single one.

It hurt her heart to see his loneliness and sometimes, when he was five years old, she asked him about the other children in his Academy class. "Have you talked to somebody? What are they called? Is there some of the girls you like?"

"I don't see them", was his emotionless answer.

"Do you want someone to come over and play with you for a bit?"

"No."

The only person he hung out with now and then was his three years older cousin Shisui. They were good friends and often trained together but she wished him to find somebody in his own age, someone in the Academy. But it seemed useless. Itachi was more than four years younger than the other students in his class, but he was already way above them when it came to intelligence and skills.

Maybe he was underdeveloped. Mikoto knew that people that were very bright and intelligent, good at everything in school or at their work and also enjoyed respective place very much often had worse social skills than other, less talented people. Not that they lacked it, not at all, but they needed more training before they could let go of the rock hard focus they had put on themselves and their performances and start to care about other people's feelings. But she had a hard time imagining him so cold.

The same year Itachi turned six years old she gave birth again. She had just seen faint shadows of suppressed emotions in Itachi's eyes for the last months, since she encouraged him touch her belly and interact with his baby sibling that way. She had had more contact with him than ever before during those last months of her second pregnancy.

Itachi had even helped her to decorate the baby's room when his father wasn't at home. And when his head was pressed to her belly, listening to the sounds from within with wide eyes, she knew that he felt alive. Although his IQ was over 300, he could still be the world's most gentle, caring, patient, protecting, tender older brother. When she watched Itachi cradle the newborn Sasuke and hold him ever so tenderly, Mikoto wondered why she ever had doubted that.

**3. **

Sasuke yelped and refused to eat again. She held his little body in her arms and tried to make him drink just a little bit. She was worried. Why wouldn't he eat? She had tried to feed him both the natural way and with a feeding bottle but his little mouth was closed; he just turned his head away and rejected every approach.

It was almost shameful how much she had started to rely on Itachi. If anyone could make Sasuke eat or sleep, he was the one. But now she could not get any help from him as he was at school. She made her way to the market to buy the most necessary things – since Sasuke's birth she had had much less time to do her chores. She had her son placed on her hip and he still whined and whimpered restlessly. Mikoto was a bit annoyed, caused by the worry for the youngest, all the things she had not had time to do and the constant ache in her chest.

At periods like these, Sasuke would not eat very often, lose weight and worry the sleep out of her, but it was not the most painful thing. Her body produced much more milk than Sasuke ever wanted or was able to consume and she had to fill bottle after bottle to relieve some of the ache in her breasts.

Even in the store she was met by fierce or disbelieving looks from other women from other clans. They watched with raised eyebrows as she moved clumsily due to sleepiness and her black, unwashed hair fell loosely around her. Why couldn't they just stop staring? It didn't help that Sasuke started to cry for real right then. Everything had become worse since he went on strike from his meals.

She heard some whispers and turned around. She saw the wife of the Huyuga clan leader standing there with a pale, ugly little bundle in her arms. Hinata's mother sent Mikoto a mean glance and whispered to her sister-in-law: "Those Uchihas. They are propagating like rabbits; don't they have anything better to do?"

Mikoto turned her back against them. With straight back and a worthy pace she left the store without buying anything. She tightened her hold around Sasuke and could hear a voice in her head: K_eep your head up. Show them that you have pride._

Somewhere deep inside of her, she wanted to rush away and cry like a little girl. She was so sick about hearing the world 'pride'. It was easy to be proud. It was another thing to fight against shame.  
Mikoto forced all feelings away and raised her chin. Like she always did.

**4.**

What was to say about Itachi after the birth of his sibling? It was as if his brother had placed a sparkle inside of him when they first met at the hospital. The sparkle had started to burn and created a fire of meaning, life and hope in the older child's eyes. It was more visible for each day, but Mikoto could see it from the beginning.

Itachi smiled again.

Mikoto rejoiced in her children's happiness. And she knew that Sasuke would be another kind of child than his brother had been. With Itachi there, Sasuke would never suffer. Not for a moment.  
Sasuke's first word was nii-san. He said it all the time when he was happy, sad, hungry, tired or wanted to use his potty. Fugaku found it embarrassing but Mikoto and Itachi thought it was sweet. Soon his vocabulary had expanded with 'Tachi and 'Niki. By just looking at him, it was obvious that Itachi felt proud.

She would never forget the sight of Sasuke rushing out through the open door on unstable legs, further away towards the alley the Uchihas were restricted to.

"Okaeri, nii-san!" he yelled with his face bathing in sunlight, right before falling into Itachi's waiting arms. His childhood would be a safe oath and those days would change Sasuke for all future as well.

**5.  
**

Mikoto's father had died in battle when she was very young and the one to decide about her future had been her father's older sister, a very determinant and harsh old lady without children. Mikoto's mother suffered from an unknown disease. And although her mother was very gentle, she was weak in her will. Mikoto's aunt decided everything.

One day when she was just eighteen years old, her older relative stepped right into her room as if she owned it. That day Mikoto started to understand for real what the proud clan was up to.

Intermarriage. All possible kinds of blood-related combinations in case there was a need to. She remembered that fateful conversation all too well.

"Mikoto, we've found a husband for you."

She couldn't help but feel ice-cold inside. She had encountered numerous fears on the battlefield, but nothing could compare to this feeling of having no choice. When her aunt had decided something, she could only obey.

The older woman looked at her.

"Tomorrow afternoon you'll go and see him. His name is Fugaku. He is strong and wealthy and will be a fitting man for a woman of your kind. He is the heir of the clan and will take the lead of it after his father. You know him a little, don't you?"

"But… Auntie. He is my second-cousin! He is like a cousin to me! You can't fully mean that…"

"Oh, but I do. He needs a wife."

She knew that all these formalities only existed to cover the truth. A not very pleasurable one that meant that they were afraid of losing members. The clan had already become a lot smaller and they needed more children that could grow up and help to accomplish its ambitions. And she, by being a fertile woman in the right age, her destiny was already decided.

"But I'm a kunoichi! I've taken the Chuunin exams and will graduate to Jounin! Auntie knows that. I will maybe enter the employment of the academy! I don't have -"

She tried to calm herself before she panicked.

"Nonsense, Mikoto. You're a woman; your place is in the kitchen. Don't make a fuss now."

"I will fight for my country and graduate to Jounin! Auntie must understand that! I will never marry nor have children!"

"Haven't you learned to not argue back when somebody older is talking to you?" the older lady snapped. "I'm disappointed, Mikoto. You're a very selfish girl. You should think about your clan for once."

"But I do care about the clan, Auntie! That's why…"

"Then serve him tea three o'clock tomorrow. Don't let him wait and make a good impression. Don't let your parents down, Mikoto. Think about your father. What would he had thought?"

Mikoto gritted her teeth. So cruel by her aunt to mention her beloved father now!

"You are clever and should understand. It's for the best of the clan, to carry the family on as you don't have any siblings and Fugaku's younger brothers are still too young. Now put your uniform off and dress properly!"

Mikoto nodded submissively. When she was alone she gritted her teeth angrily. She was not going to have children and stay in a house her whole life. She was not going to serve tea to a man she didn't know and moreover marry him.

She _did not _know him, for the love of God! She did not know him at all! And hell to the no that she was going to share her life with him! But she had no choice, she had never had.

She thought about her friend Kushina, the proud kunoichi. But she had found Minato and hopefully he wouldn't let her live her whole life as a housewife. Should Mikoto give up her will of fire just because of that man? She had only seen him a few times before and she hadn't said a single word to him. And now she was going to serve him tea, to prove her ability of a serving housewife in the traditional old Japanese way. What was she supposed to say, how was she supposed to behave?

Although she never would admit it, she was scared. She couldn't share her life with a complete stranger. She missed her team that she used to do missions together with. Was that time over now?

When Mikoto had put her ANBU uniform off, anger welled up in her chest. She would have her revenge for this. Revenge. _Just you wait._

She rushed out of the house to the closest training ground. She banged her fist in a tree and then started up her technique, making her whole palm glow sparkling blue and white.

_Chidori!_

**6.  
**

Mikoto Uchiha carried many memories, both good and bad, underneath her heart.

One of her strongest, happy memories despite everything was when she breast-fed that small, tiny, helpless little being – her son. First Itachi, then Sasuke. Then she believed that she had found true happiness. Her baby was like a tiny puppy or kitten, so soft, so lovely, so helpless sleeping at her chest. His small face, making a little pleased sound as he ate, his small clenched fist in front of his chest - all of that just filled her with so much tenderness and meaningfulness.

There was no other thing she loved just as much – her baby's little face, the beautiful sounds he made, that sweet smell of newborn baby, the responsibility and love she felt for him. He was completing her in a way she had never felt before. Her husband and the rest of the clan were planning a revolution while she was absorbed by the feeling of giving life to another being.

Sasuke's life was in her hands right now, only hers, because she was his mother. He needed her to feed him and change him and that made her feel alive.

But there was also a bitter downside to all this joy.

She would never forget the first months after Itachi's birth. Suddenly she was stuck.  
Stuck in every way. Her friends – Kushina and Kurenai – went out at night with their love interests and she was stuck in the house, cleaning up baby vomit and washing diapers until the late hours, wondering if it always was meant to be like this.

Life moved on, her friends moved on, but she was stuck in the kitchen with a child that had stopped eating of some unidentified reason and she had a horrible headache. She realized how utterly _free _the men were – it's easy making a kid, it's another thing to carry them, give birth to them and take care of them.

She didn't know what she was meant to feel anymore, if she was crazy for wishing that she never had a kid. Would this uncomfortable feeling inside of her ever disappear?

For her family and neighbors, life was about pride, the Clan, being Hokage, having money, having status, living a good life, having more power than every other clan in the world, 'getting revenge at the village for what those pricks did', taking over the country etc. Life was about having power. Everything was about having power. People seemed to have forgotten the sacrifice she, and only she, made every single day.

They celebrated strong shinobis because they were risking their life on the battlefield, they protected the village and trained a lot. Without the women's efforts, there would be no new children to protect the village in the future.  
No one celebrated her for how she sacrificed friends, sleep, food, hygiene, hobbies, training, education and everything that once had been her life just to stay in the kitchen with a baby.

What a fantastic life.

The one she was meant to fall in love with would never meet her. But there was no good to grief for what wouldn't happen – she knew that she had things to be grateful for. She had _learnt _to love Fugaku. The love had appeared as time passed by, just as her mother had assured her at the wedding.

This was not only the Uchiha's fight about getting revenge against the village that had accused them falsely for causing the nine tailed demon fox's attack many years earlier.

This was not only the Uchiha's way to try to gain power back, to take revenge for constantly living under supervision in a separated part of the village, as if there was something wrong with them. It was not only the words that she heard being repeated at every meeting: "We will show them fools! We will show this country whom has the power! We will rule this whole world! Everybody will have to bend for our will and we will get our freedom back!"

This was a woman's fight for freedom in her own home and her fight for her children. She had heard all the lies, all of the pathetic cover-ups. Her forced marriage with her second-cousin was only the sweet beginning. Everything would become worse.

None of her clan fellows respected her opinion. Why?

Because she had made the horrible, shameful, evil, cruel, pathetic, terrifying choice to not being born as a man. Everything was her own fault.

She was raised to be a submissive housewife, raised to always respect a man's opinion no matter which status he had. And she could put up with the most of it – she could take care of a whole house by herself, she could raise her children and take all responsibility for their well-being by her own. But she could not put up with how her children were treated.

"Itachi will be placed in Anbu Black Ops as a spy for us", one of the clan members announced during a meeting when Itachi was eleven years old. He was not present at the meeting back then, but both his parents were.

"It will work out well for us", Fugaku said. "He will make a good impression and gain their trust, and once he knows everything about their system and their strategies – then we will make our move."

So they were going to _use _her child. He would have to lie and pretend to be the perfect submissive, skilled ninja and then – when they thought that they knew exactly where they had him and everything was perfect – then he would betray them.

"I can't allow that", Mikoto had said, receiving the attention of every single assembled member for a short moment. She was ignored, but afterwards she tried to discuss the matter with her husband.

"He is eleven years old! You can't be serious, Fugaku! I was seventeen when I joined and that was an exception!"

"Maybe about a year or two, then he will be ready."

"He will not be ready then! He will still be a child!"

"Itachi is not a child."

"Yes he is, and I can't let that happen to him! Not even half of their members survive each mission! He will have to encounter much more skilled people and he might get seriously hurt! He will have to get a tattoo and –"

"You don't understand. Try to see it from our point of view – how will we otherwise infiltrate their system and get all information we need?"

She had the whole clan against her. She knew that this, what they were trying to do, was dangerous. If they were to be betrayed, they would all be executed indiscriminately – men and women, children – everyone. After all, they were rebels. Trying to overtake the military force of the country was not only to be playing with fire; it would also cause horrible consequences that would last for decades afterwards.

Mikoto's old aunt still engaged in matters and it made Mikoto downright furious that _she _of all people stuck her nose into this too. Mikoto had grown a lot tougher since she married Fugaku and she mostly knew how to stand her ground.

The other woman accused her: "You don't know the best for the clan! I wonder if you ever have cared. After everything, _everything _this clan has done for you! How dare you deny -"

"But tell me Auntie", Mikoto said, "is Itachi _my _child or is he yours?"

The old lady gasped. "Such arrogance! What is wrong with you, Mikoto?"

"I'm just thinking about someone else than myself for a change." Not even a deaf man would have missed the cold irony in her voice.

"I _demand_ that you respect my opinion, Mikoto!"

Mikoto stared the despiteful woman in her eyes. She did the same thing to her husband when she talked with him later, not moving her gaze for a moment. She had never had more power in her words before than right then.

"I will respect your opinion the moment you respect mine. So I'm a woman and I'm younger than you, but I do have the same rights as you do. And I won't be quiet just because of that. You can call me arrogant and selfish, but at least I – at least I am not trying to decide everyone else's destinies. I'm just caring about my son."

And_ they_ dared to talk about liberty.

Itachi's entrance into ANBU was moved, but that was all she could do. She had no right to speak, no right to defend Itachi. He was now thirteen years old and things were starting to move for real. She was quiet as Fugaku scolded Itachi for spending too much time with Sasuke or refusing to tell them where he had been all night, only blaming it on a 'secret mission.'

Even long afterward when Itachi had gone into his room her heart still continued to whisper apologizes. Her heart would always shine for her sons, the lost one and the deprived one, until the day she died.

She could forgive them for everything. She was the mother who was literally prepared to give up her life for her children.  
But the end would be pitiful.

**7. **

Mikoto sat on her knees on the floor beside her husband. They had decided – Fugaku had decided - to die worthily. There was no need to panic just because the end was unavoidable, it was closing up on them rapidly.

They had heard the screams and the violent thuds. Itachi was on his way.

What was to say and think, these last minutes of their lives?

Her heart ached. There was so much she wanted to do, not for herself but for her children. It felt as if just a moment ago, both of them were little and happy. If only she had known how it would end for them all. Itachi was still a child, just thirteen years old! And from this day on he would carry the title of a mass murderer, a monster who had killed his own parents. It would follow him forever.

It was so sickly unfair that somebody like him, who was so kind, so tender and fragile inside, would have to do that. Mikoto closed her eyes in her wait for her son. She just wanted to hold him close and protect him from all this. She had let Itachi be hurt and she would never forgive herself.

She thought about her other child – her beloved little Sasuke. She couldn't even begin to imagine his pain, horror and sorrow when he found out that his parents had been murdered. Not just murdered - the one who took their lives away was the one he loved the most.

Mikoto's guilt was fretting inside. Her boys… she had imagined them to be together forever. If only she could have done something time. She should have tried to stop Fugaku and the other clan fellows more than she did. This was the bitter prize for their pride and their egoism. Rebels would be punished, sooner or later.

Time couldn't be turned back, no matter how much she wished for it.

Itachi was standing behind them now and she wanted to apologize. She hadn't done everything a mother should. But the only thing that would keep her from haunting this world in decades afterward was that she knew, both parents knew, that Sasuke would survive. Itachi may kill the Hokage himself, but he would never be able to touch Sasuke.

He would be saved, and Mikoto's gratefulness was indescribable. But on the other hand… what a life her little Sasuke would get.

"Father… Mother…" Itachi's voice was on the edge of bursting. He was about to break and she could almost feel his tears start to flow again. They landed on the floor, the murderer's silent, black tears.

"We know, Itachi." It was the only comfort she, his own mother, could give him now.

There was so much she wanted to say, but there was no time. It was too late now.

No apologies could change this.

Fugaku's words to their son burned her too. "Our pain will only last an instant, unlike yours." Yes, Fugaku had never been the one to suffer.

Mikoto's heart would bleed for her sons now and forever. She was quiet as her husband spoke his last, caring words to Itachi, followed by:

"Don't hesitate."

But Itachi hesitated.

_I'm so sorry, my poor, poor child. There is so much I wish I could change for you, _she thought. _Please don't cry. I hope you know that I and your father are very proud of you, no matter how you perform. Please take care of Sasuke. I love you. _

She wondered how Itachi had the strength to go through with this. He must be even stronger than she thought.

Mikoto was more than willing to do this sacrifice, to let her life end this way. It was the least she could do.

Itachi gritted his teeth and rough sobs racked his body, shook him through his whole being. His body was crouched over his sword as he prepared for the the cruel actions it would lead him to. His tears flowed from his eyes, landed on his nose and ran down his face in violent streams.

She felt his trembling sword between her shoulder blades and imagined that she was holding him as newborn. To shut out the sound of his despairing sobs she thought of the happiest thing she'd ever seen – Itachi's facial expression of total happiness and bliss the first time he held Sasuke.

_"He is so... so small!"_

_"I know, darling. But he will grow and eventually be just as tall as you!"  
_

_Itachi nuzzled his brother's face. "I will always, always protect you."  
_

And she couldn't help herself; the short moment before her spine was crushed her eyes overflowed with tears.

.

.

* * *

**A/N: Finally done! I'd love to hear your thoughts. And remember - the more reviews I get, the faster I'll update.**

**Ja ne!**


	14. Truth

**A/N: I want to thank everybody for the reviews! I love you all!**

**Now I've looked at the poll result and I've a fairly good idea what people want to read. (The poll is still open if you haven't voted). I will start with an ItaSasu AU story soon, called "Pieces Of You". Then maybe a story with over-protecting Itachi too (man, that choice was popular :D)**

******Apparently the last chapter was a real weepie :´( So now we need some fluff to cheer us up! Enjoy!**  


* * *

**Chapter 14: Truth**

"_SASUKE UCHIHA!_ Come back here** _immediately_!"**

Shisui's voice was echoing over the whole area.

_Shit, shit, shit. Itachi is going to kill me if something happens to him_, Shisui thought desperately. Where the heck was the kid?

Itachi had had some preparations to do before an important mission and as Mikoto and Fugaku was away for the day, he had decided to let his cousin look after Sasuke.

But as the seven-year-old did not want to be taken care of, he had run away as soon as Itachi had left their home. Shisui did not want to babysit a rude brat, but Itachi had insisted quite intensely. "One can never know what Sasuke might do", he had told his cousin gravely. "I trust that you can keep him safe, at least for today."

And Itachi was not mistaken; Shisui was best fitting for that purpose since he was almost as skilled as Itachi and even older. But he did not want to spend the whole day with his little cousin, he wanted to train. But he had no choice right now. And it didn't help that said brat had run away as fast as his legs could carry him.

Shisui was standing on a roof with the Sharingan activated, but he still couldn't feel Sasuke's chakra anywhere. Just faint trails in all directions. He sighed. This was one of the reasons he did not like kids in particular. He did this for his best friend's sake.

"Sasuke, you're _so_ dead when I found you", he muttered and moved to the next roof like a flash of light.

Sasuke was running as fast as he could in straight opposite direction from his caretaker, jumping between roofs and streets. _Mask the chakra, mask the chakra, _he repeated to himself as he ran, trying to conceal his chakra signature so that Shisui would not find him. His Nii-san had promised that they would spend the day together and he had become sulky when he found out that Itachi was busy and that his cousin would look after him instead. He put street after street behind him, and landed on the ground with enough force to make his feet ache and then used up a lot of strength to move to the next roof. It wasn't doing any good, he was already becoming exhausted.

But he had already decided; he was _not _going to be under Shisui's care the whole day. No way. Then he would rather spend it on his own. He ran past the large river where he saw Naruto standing on his own. The blonde boy looked suspiciously at him.

Sasuke ran past him and forgot to mask his chakra for a moment when he almost bumped into the blond boy.

"Hey, move out of the way, _dobe_!"

"I was standing here first, _teme!_"

On a roof not far away, Shisui flinched when he suddenly discovered Sasuke's chakra like a speed of light in darkness. Grinning to himself in silent glee that the brat would not get away, he set off down the roofs. Sasuke realized his mistake just when he heard Shisui's voice nearby.

"You're not getting away Sasuke, trust me!"

"Shit!"

In Naruto's confused eyes, one Uchiha disappeared and another appeared right by his side. The young man was looking wildly around.

"Have you seen a kid with black hair, about your height?"

Naruto thought. "No."

Shisui was getting desperate. "Black shirt, grey pants?"

"Are you talking about yourself?"

He resisted the impulse to facepalm. "No. He has rather pale skin and-"

"Never seen."

"Black eyes, duck-ass hair?"

"_Duck-ass_ hair you say? Hm… I think he ran that way", Naruto mused and slowly reached out, intentionally pointing in a vague direction right into the center of Konoha.

Shisui ran towards the direction and Sasuke appeared behind a stone as soon as his caretaker had disappeared. "Thanks, Naruto."

Naruto shrugged. "No problems teme, I've nothing to do anyway."

"I've got to go", Sasuke muttered and started running again. He was careful with masking his chakra and finally stopped to rest on a roof near the Hokage building. Panting, he sat down and wondered if he would have any chance of escaping.

Shisui was getting annoyed. Now he started to realize that Naruto had fooled him and he wondered how he ever could have trusted a mere brat. This was another reason why he didn't like kids. They had memories like goldfishes and were more resistant than cockroaches in a freezer.  
When he finally caught up to his cousin, he found Sasuke crouching on a roof. "Caught ya!"

Sasuke turned around and was about to run away again, when he spotted a familiar figure on the ground below them.

"Look, there's nii-san!"

Itachi was just walking out from the building together with a handful of his ANBU comrades. They didn't have their masks on but all of them were wearing uniform. Itachi hadn't spotted them yet. A big smile lit up Sasuke's face and he raised his hand to wave at him, but stopped and frowned.

Among the shinobis down there, there was a girl in Itachi's age. Her long, black hair waved around her as she bent forward and hugged Itachi tightly.

Sasuke gaped like a fish, completely taken aback.

_W_

_h_

_a_

_t_

_?_

His hand unconsciously sank down again. That was not a hug; it was too long and tight for that. It was more like an embrace. And Itachi embraced her back. The girl smiled and laughed and she said something to Itachi.

Sasuke's only thought was: _Get away from __**my **__brother! Bitch!_

He knew that his mother would reprimand him if she heard him talk like that, but right now it didn't matter. Something red flashed in his eyes for a moment. He didn't know why he suddenly felt ice-cold in his whole body. He had never, ever seen Itachi even talking to a girl before. And now he seemed to be best friend with one.

His eyes were glued to his brother, and he felt something rising in his chest. One of his hands instinctively raised to clutch his chest, but he hardly noticed it. He could not believe if it actually was true – if it really had happened. He didn't hear Shisui's snappy comment from behind him and his hands started to tremble.

Itachi had kissed him; he had said that Sasuke was everything to him. But why did he - ?  
They must know each other well, since they were on the same team. Was it she he was with when he was gone the whole night? The question burned Sasuke and filled him with rage towards that girl.

Did Nii-san have a … girlfriend? Why had he never said anything?

Sasuke felt like falling down an abyss. The ground had disappeared beneath his feet and there was nothing to keep him from falling. Upset tears formed in his eyes. Had Nii-san lied to him? But after all, he was just a sibling who knew nothing.

_I guess, I'm 'only' your brother. You thought we could kiss and such, but only when you felt like? Just because I'm your brother I'll accept if you have someone else besides me?_

He got up and rushed away.

"Hey, wait!" Shisui called after him, but Sasuke could not have cared less. He wished that he could stumble and break his neck right now so he would not have to meet Itachi later.

_Nii-san… what were you thinking?_

_Why do you need her?_

_Ain't I… enough for you?_

_What do you see in her that you don't see in me?_

_Since when did your heart not belong to me anymore?_

Sasuke ran blindly; he had no idea where he was going and he didn't care either.

"Try to see it from my view, kiddo", Shisui shouted as he followed him. "It took me this whole morning to find you and if you run away again and something happens to you – Itachi will slaughter me, do you understand? Seriously, brat. I'm starting to get old and I don't have the energy to play tag all day!" He tried with different approaches, but Sasuke didn't even notice him.

Sasuke ran past his home and didn't stop until he was on a field close the training grounds. A part of him wanted to continue running when he saw that his cousin was tailing him, but he didn't care enough to actually do it. He just sank down on the ground and wrapped his arms around his legs, crumbling to a small ball. That way he would maybe manage to hold together his heart that was about to shatter.

Shisui sighed. "You're exaggerating, man. You don't even know if they –"

"I saw them, Shisui! With my own eyes!" Sasuke said and looked at his hands in despair. "Nii-san said he only loves me! Only me! He said I mean more to him than anything in this world!"

"Of course he loves you since you're his li'l bro, but I think his brain is capable of keeping more relationships than just yours." He thought for a moment, and a mischievous smirk appeared on his face. "Maybe he uses her for _that_."

"What _that_, Shisui?"

The older scrubbed the back of his head. "You see… People in Itachi's age… they start to get certain needs…"

"Shisui, I don't understand! What 'need' does nii-san have? He has me!"

Shisui's cheeks adopted a slight red color. The kid was completely ignorant, oblivious. Shisui didn't want to sacrifice his life just to give the kid 'the talk'.

"I'm not supposed to tell you about this, kiddo. If Itachi finds out that I've been telling you about _that, _he will throw me into the nearest stable surface without pardon."

"But…"

"Somehow you seem too young for this she-stole-my-boyfriend-my-life-sucks-I-can't-live-without-him-but-I-still-do-somehow-and-my-heart-is-so-broken-kind of life. Just saying."

"You don't understand!" Sasuke spat and tears filled his eyes again. "What if… what if he doesn't love me anymore?"

"I have a really hard time imagining that. The only one he talks about when we hang out is you. Itachi always plays so cool, but who would've known that a brat like you could own his whole heart?" Shisui ruffled Sasuke's hair playfully.

"Are you really sure about that?"

"Of course, kiddo, why would I be lying? Even a blind man would see the love Itachi holds for you. Just watching him look at you makes me feel like I'm in the middle of some cheesy, romantic movie. Mom usually says that I don't care about other people's feelings so if I can notice _that_ – well, that is strong chemistry."

"Shisui!"

"I'm completely serious!"He looked innocently at Sasuke.

"But just _how _could he… how could he do such a thing?" Sasuke's big eyes were glazed and he hugged himself tighter. But he doubted that that would do any good to save his heart, at this rate it would be completely destroyed within an hour or two, he thought.

Shisui rolled his eyes. "Stop sitting here and cry like a betrayed girl! It's about time I teach you how to be a man, Sasuke. When Itachi comes to pick you up, ask him what the heck he thought he was doing and get it over with. Don't avoid him and make up your own story about how it must have been, tell all your friends and so on. Only chicks do that."

"I – I c-can't… I don't want to hear his answer. I can't take it, Shisui. I can't hear him saying that is… that it's …" Sasuke buried his face against his arms. Shisui felt how his attitude towards the brat softened a bit. He didn't really know how to comfort, but he did have a younger sibling so that care-taking instinct was natural for him anyway.

"Hey, don't cry." He reached out and touched his cousin's shoulder. Sasuke didn't move. "I'll get you a tomato?" Shisui suggested, hoping for a reaction. His cousin was still ignoring him.

"We and Natsumi can go out and buy some onigiri together?" Hearing about his favorite food usually made Sasuke alert, but now he merely shrugged. Shisui sighed and tried to remember how Itachi did to make his brother happy. He soon realized that that was an Itachi-thing, not something that Shisui ever would be able to accomplish. Like so much else...

He finally went for the Itachi-thing anyway and spoke up: "I remember when he was a kid - just the firm determinant look in his eyes that said he would protect you no matter what."

Sasuke finally lifted his head. "How would you know? You're not a part of _our _family."

"No, but I happen to be his best friend and I also happen to have known him longer than you, kiddo."

That was it for the upset Sasuke. "_But he's not your brother! He is only mine!_ Do I have to share him with everyone on this planet? Nii-san said that he loved me. He said that I was everything to him. But now he is with this girl -"

"Why don't you try to move on? You know that Itachi love you. And you can't keep him from trying to create his own life."

"It's my **brother **we're talking about! I **can't** move on! I hate you! I'm **in love** with Nii-san!"

Shisui suddenly realized that the brat was serious. Wait a moment, stop the record.

_In love with his big brother?_

Oh shit.

"Well..."

Sasuke started to cry. "He doesn't love me anymore!"

Shisui sighed and reached out once again. "Dry your tears, Sasuke. Itachi would get a heart attack if he saw you now. Or even worse, he would think that _I _hurt you and then -" he shook his head. "You don't wanna see that. Listen up, kiddo. I know Itachi and I know that he wouldn't do something like that-

"But he did! Have you gone deaf?"  
Sasuke reminded him of a kitten, tiny and helpless but angry as an annoyed tiger.

"I was only trying to help", Shisui muttered. "You're seriously sounding like a chick right now, babbling over and over again about your dear knight who let you down."

Sasuke stared at his hands. If it was true… if Nii-san didn't love him anymore… then he didn't know what to do.

**xxx**

Itachi was rather tired when he came home. His teammates had babbled the whole afternoon whether he and the new girl had something going on. How fast false rumors could spread – he wouldn't have believed it if he hadn't heard it himself.

He changed to his everyday clothes and searched for Sasuke. He needed a hug right now, from the one who could always make him smile. He found his little brother and his cousin at the lake nearby, sitting motionless and quiet on the dock as if they were having a private conversation with Buddha himself. Normally, Sasuke would be laughing and trying to escape his cousin's tickling fingers and run up to Itachi and squeeze him as soon as he got into sight. Now he didn't.

Itachi stopped confused. "Sasuke, I'm back—"

His little brother was sitting with his back against him with drooping shoulders and he didn't turn around.

The weasel frowned. "Is everything alright, Sasuke?"

"I'm fine, aniki", the child answered with tiny, sad voice.

Itachi was not fooled. "What have happened?" When he found no other explanation to Sasuke's sudden heartbroken behavior he turned to Shisui.

"Shisui? Do you have any connection to this?" He knew that his cousin playfully used to tease Sasuke but this time it had maybe gone too far.

The other boy turned to look at him. "I think you should ask yourself, Itachi", he said gravely without any hint of accusation in his voice. "This time _you_ might be the one who hurt him…"  
Itachi's eyes widened. He sat carefully down beside his brother and tried to get eye contact with him, without success.

"Otouto?"

No answer. Itachi's heart filled with horror and sorrow. What had he done to make Sasuke react like this?

"Otouto, please tell me what's wrong. If I hurt you in any way, please let me know. I had no idea –"

Sasuke looked finally up at him with big sad eyes. His adorable little face looked completely heartbroken and Itachi blamed himself. He did not know in which way he had hurt Sasuke but still he wondered how he ever could have had the gut to do it.

"Nii-san…" the child mumbled. "Do you… do you…" Silent tears started to stream out of his eyes and his older brother could not stand any longer, he lifted his hand and gently wiped them away. But it came new ones all the time and his hand could not catch up.

Sasuke did not move, he lowered his gaze again and his small body was trembling. Itachi had gotten a lump in his throat that refused to go away. "Sasuke, please…"

His sibling's voice was almost inaudible when he finally answered. Shisui who was sitting a yard away did not even hear him. A shy, sorrowful whisper: "Do you have a girlfriend, nii-san?"

That simple question shocked Itachi beyond words. To him, it was simple.  
For the love of God, where did this come from? _He_? A _girlfriend?_ What could possibly have made Sasuke believe that?

He couldn't have been reached by all the rumors, right?

"Sasuke…" Itachi forced his shocked mind to tell him the truth, forced his numb lips to move to form the words. "I think you've…"

His little brother suddenly sounded upset, almost angry: "I know what I saw, nii-san!"

"Then listen to me, Sasuke." The younger boy just looked at him. Itachi took a deep breath. "I don't have a girlfriend and I never will."

His brother looked up at him just as shocked. "B-b-ut", he stuttered, "you-you-you h-hugged her a-and you –"

Itachi was hit like a flash of lightning when he understood. "_She_?" He almost laughed when he thought about the huge misunderstanding. "I don't even know her."

Sasuke was not sure what to think. If that was so, maybe he used her for _that _anyway. If he only knew what _that_ was.

"I don't know any girl in this village and neither in any other", Itachi added truthfully when he saw that Sasuke's gaze slowly lightened. The younger quickly decided; even if Nii-san was using every girl in the village for _that_, it didn't matter as long as he not loved them.

Shisui suddenly laughed. "I told you there was no need to worry, Sasuke. Trust me, Itachi will die single", he joked. Sasuke glared at him half-heartedly and seemed to be himself again.

But Itachi wasn't done with his explanation. He was happy that Sasuke did not lean away from his touch and he slowly lifted his little brother's chin. "Foolish little otouto. I don't really know how to say this but…how would I ever even be able to look another person in her eyes when I have _you_ in my life?" He shook his head as if he just had witnessed something ridiculous. But his gaze when it met Sasuke's was completely sincere. He was not lying; he was not putting on a façade now. Only to Sasuke and to Sasuke alone he could say exactly how he felt.

"My feelings for you cannot be described by words, Sasuke. But I'll try, to make you understand just a bit of what my heart feels. You are everything, _everything_ for me and I love you more than anything and anyone." Itachi almost stuttered in his overwhelming confession and totally forgot neither cared that his rather immature friend was sitting next to him and listened. He placed his hands on either side of his little brother's face. " I – I wish you could feel the completion, the pure happiness I feel every time we wake up together, every time you run up to me and hug me when I return home and every time you call me 'Nii-san'. I would do everything to keep you safe and I would do anything, no matter what it is, to make you feel like I do each time I see you. Nothing makes me happier than see you smile, than see you breathe, than just see you live."

Sasuke slowly lifted his arms, requesting to be held. Itachi immediately obeyed and pressed Sasuke's smaller body tight to his chest and put his arms around him.

All doubts was gone from Sasuke's voice now. And he felt just as strongly that he would protect Itachi no matter what. "I love you Nii-san."

"Otouto, do you trust me?" The long-haired looked the younger straight in his eyes. The child nuzzled their faces. "Of course I do, nii-san!"

Itachi pressed his lips against his little brother's soft forehead. "Arigato."

_May lightning strike me dead the day I don't deserve your trust anymore.  
_

As they hugged each other he got sight of his cousin's expression. Shisui sent him a look that clearly said: _You better be telling him the truth. He deserves it._

Itachi replied with a simple look: _Every word I said is true.  
_Sasuke is my truth, he thought. The only truth a liar like me will ever have. My love for him is true.

"Gomenasai otouto yo", he whispered and kissed away the last one of Sasuke's tears that was stuck to his cheek. "And about that girl - she is just my temporary teammate for an upcoming mission. I don't even know her name; she just wanted to greet me. She greeted everyone that way."

Sasuke seemed to have forgotten that incident already. He hugged his sibling tightly in overwhelming affection. "Nii-san…we belong together, you and me, and we will never part." His cuteness was playing his sibling's heart mercilessly, and Itachi would not have been able to keep himself from smiling even if he tried to. He needed Sasuke like he needed oxygen. He would not be able to live without him. Had he ever done something good enough to deserve a brother like Sasuke?

"I will be forever yours", Sasuke stated happily and closed his eyes. "And you will be forever mine, right nii-san?"

Itachi pressed him against his chest and buried his face in his hair. "Always, little brother. You had me at your first heartbeat."

"Forever? In all eternity? Until we're old and gray-haired?"

"Forever", Itachi mumbled and nuzzled his brother's hair. "Until we're old and gray-haired, and even beyond that." _Till death do us apart is not enough. _

Sasuke could finally breathe freely again. Nothing was ever going to bring them apart, and he felt that with even stronger intensity now than before. He pressed his face against Itachi's shirt for a moment and just relished the feeling of being close to the one he loved the most.

Itachi smiled and fondled his brother's hair. He couldn't explain to anyone, not even Shisui, his best friend, how he felt about Sasuke. The kid was just so precious to him. It was now he felt that he was home. Everything was perfect, everything would be fine. He could forget the future for a short while and enjoy the time they had together. Even if they did not have much time left, he was going to make this as good as possible for Sasuke.

Both brothers had almost forgotten about Shisui, who was switching between grinning stupidly and grimacing when he remembered other things. Sasuke caught a sight of his facial expression and was reminded of his conversation with Shisui earlier. He wished that someone could explain to him what _that_ was.

"Nii-san, what does 'do someone' mean?"

Itachi froze and his eyes widened for a moment. Glowing red eyes were zooming in on Shisui a moment later, who just grinned.

"_What the hell have you told him?"_

Sasuke looked from person to person and didn't understand why Itachi looked so intimidating all of a sudden. "Nii-san… Shisui said a lot of strange things. He said that you have needs nii-san and -"

"Enough, Sasuke. You don't want uncle Shisui to get hurt, don't you?" Shisui laughed nervously and scratched the back of his head. He avoided looking at Itachi who calmed down a bit when he realized that his brother's innocence was still intact. He sent a teasing look to his cousin and turned back to Sasuke.

"What were you about to say, otouto?" he asked with honey-sweet voice.

Sasuke glared half-heartedly at his cousin. "Nii-san, Shisui said that you have many needs and that girl in your team…"

"What about her, otouto?" Itachi inquired.

"Sasuke, please stop."

Sasuke just grinned at his cousin, enjoying the power he had.

"He said you use her to satisfy your ne-"

_Boom. _

"I said _maybe_", Shisui complained as he sat up and rubbed his neck. "There was no need for that Itachi, chill out, man."

Itachi glared at him with Sharingan activated and his fist still in the air. "What gives **you **the right to give **my** brother sex education? He is seven years old, in case you've forgotten." Shisui grinned and held up his arms in the air in the universal sign of surrender. "Peace out, kiddo."

Itachi was still stiff but his glare started to fade away. "Watch your mouth in front of him", he warned. "And you should know just as well as I that-"

"- you're such a prude virgin, my little cousin", his friend grinned and nudged him. Someting close to disappointment appeared in his gaze when he looked from Itachi to Sasuke and then back again. Itachi and his morals - maybe he would overcome them some day, when Sasuke was older.

The other boy wasn't in the mood to nudge him back and just raised his eyebrows. Sasuke stuck his tongue out at his cousin – not understanding in the least what the older boys were talking about but still pretended to understand. Itachi instantly turned his attention to his sibling and caressed his cheek tenderly, enjoying the blissful smile on Sasuke's little face. But Shisui was pissed off.

"And they ask me why I think kids are annoying", he muttered. "And why I don't like romantic cliché movies." His cousins didn't care about him though, they were caught in each other's eyes. Itachi slowly bent down, his gaze locked to Sasuke's.

"Am I already forgotten?" Shisui mumbled and a shadow of a smile played on his lips.

"You will always be my number two, Shisui", Itachi teased and placed a soft kiss on Sasuke's cheek. The child reacted instantly and glared at his cousin. He wrapped his arms firmly around Itachi's neck and claimed him as his. "Nii-san is mine, and _only _mine, Shisui. You can take that girl", he said, making both the elder boys burst out into laughter at his last words.

"I'm sorry, Shisui", Itachi mumbled.

"No worries. After all, you two are the couple here. I'm your best man." Once again he noticed that nobody was listening to him.

Itachi turned to his brother. "You will always be mine, Sasuke. My one and only, the one I will always love more than anything else in this universe." Itachi smiled happily at his adorable brother, his very own angel, before he kissed him.

**xxx**

Later that day they lay there together on the soft grass outside of the Compound, looking up at the clear blue sky and the fluffy clouds that seemed to slide back and forth up there without direction. Itachi relished the moment. Everything about it was perfect. They were wrapped in softness, the sun painted them in golden light and the breeze played with their hair. Sasuke was at his side and he felt that nothing could be better than this. He squeezed his brother's hand and enjoyed the softness of it.

Sasuke on the other hand was deep in his thoughts. He remembered the strange things Shisui had said and his brother's reaction. That awakened another question.

"Nii-san?"

"Hm?" Itachi closed his eyes and exhaled slowly, enjoying the sun that warmed his skin and seemed to reach all the way to his heart, the swift breeze... how perfect everything felt right now, because no one could bring them apart. And he would love Sasuke until the end of all time…

"How does the baby get inside the mom? How did I get into mommy's belly?"

Itachi felt as if someone had emptied a bucket with ice-cold water over his head. He was abruptly forced out from his relaxed state of mind.

Oh God. Wasn't it too early to give the kid 'the talk'? This was what he tried to prevent. Maybe it would have been best for them all if he had let Shisui handle that part… but no.  
He forced himself to open his eyes.

"You see, Sasuke…"

"I don't see anything." The child looked at him with a slight frown on his face.

Itachi sighed. "If a woman and a man are together very much, she will eventually get a baby inside of her stomach. End of story." That was a safe explanation that probably wouldn't start more lines of thoughts in his little brother's head.

"But Shisui said…"

Itachi growled under his breath. What now? If Shisui had said anything inappropriate, anything at all, then Itachi would have his head.

"What did he say, otouto?"

"He said that the dad must be inside of the mom first"- Itachi choked on a breath - "but that can't be, Nii-san. He wouldn't fit, right?" Sasuke mused completely oblivious to the rage his brother experienced after nearly have gotten a heart attack by his words.

"The baby will be inside of the mom, how would she have room for both the baby and the dad in her belly?" Sasuke shook his head. "It's completely illogical that they would fit together. Shisui was lying, wasn't he, Nii-san?"

Itachi sighed with relief. "Of course he was, otouto."

Trust Itachi to lie to Sasuke to protect him from the truth in all situations, no matter what. It was a part of his personality.  
But still, Shisui was boiled, fried, _dead _now, Itachi decided. His thoughts were interrupted by Sasuke:

"Nii-san, can only girls get pregnant?"

"Yes, otouto, boys cannot have babies."

Sasuke pouted as if he thought that Nature was going to change and give him what he wanted if he only pouted cutely enough. If Itachi had been the creator of the world, he would have changed everything if his brother had asked him to while pouting like that.

Itachi was amused and his muscles relaxed a bit. "Why, otouto?"

"I thought… " Sasuke crawled up on his brother's stomach and intertwined their hands. "I would have wanted that _we_ could have babies in the future, nii-san. Kaa-san says that people who love each other can have children."

The older boy suppressed a chuckle. Little Sasuke was the innocence himself. "Maybe that's so -" Itachi rolled around and pinned his brother to the ground - "but you're still _my _baby."

_Until the end of time, no matter what happens._

_.  
_

* * *

_**Until next time, please tell me what you think! c:**  
_


	15. Brothers

**Author's rambling: **During these chapters all of you have been a wonderful audience. But we're not finished yet! This is now officially "25 One-shots for Itachi and Sasuke". Yes, that's right. It means that there will be much more ultra gay brotherly love. ^_^ So we have at least 10 more chapters to go! :D

This one-shot takes places in a AU / Non-massacre. Speaking of AU's, the first chapter of my new fic Pieces Of You is now posted!

* * *

** 15: Brothers**

Heavy steps echoing down the stone floor, a muffled scream and the sound of something shaving a rotten skull into five pieces.

A dark, low voice. "Here you go, kids."

Sasuke gnawed on his thumb nail anxiously. White, watery eyes staring at the blood-soaked floor. The scrambles of keys in the reeking silence. Lighter steps, slow and aimed, a despairing cry followed by: "Shut up, for Christ's sake!" and then…

Sasuke flinched so violently that he almost fell out of the couch when something suddenly appeared right in front of the screen. This was what he'd been waiting for and fearing for, for five hours by now. His breath hitched and he clutched his head, covering his eyes. The ghost was there, appearing from nowhere just in front of the camera and said something with a terrifying voice.

Sasuke's lips moved along with the killer's cold, emotionless voice:

"I'm going to savor every ounce of fat on your body with butter and garlic sauce."

Sasuke finally lost it. "Run, you idiot! Run!" he yelled at the TV screen. "What the fuck are you waiting for! She's coming!"

He jumped up and down in his seat, anxious and excited at the same time. Itachi sat beside him and watched the movie with raised eyebrows. Both of them had watched Sasuke's favorite movie a lot of times, and while Itachi was rather amused, his little brother still reacted as if it was the first time he watched it.

The room was dark and the only source of light came from the TV-screen. Some of the white light from it shone down on the dvd case lying on the sofa table: "The psychopathic axe murderer part 4: The phlegm-coated kitchen"

Sasuke yelped and instinctively moved closer to his brother when the human meal itself began. Itachi wrapped his arms around him but didn't move – while Sasuke crouched scared, he remained out-stretched like a cat on the couch.

Somebody screamed in the movie: "Please don't kill me! Kill my child instead!" and Itachi frowned. "It's rather twisted", he remarked as five children continued to eat skull while the psychopathic murderer – a 4-year old – hunted an old man around in the room.

Sasuke buried his face against his brother's chest when the murderer stumbled on the slippery floor and broke her neck.

"But I like it", Sasuke said although he was trembling."It's not as bad as part 3: "The massacred hospital, extra bloody version". That's a real thriller, I couldn't hear the word 'doctor' for a month afterwards. "

They watched as somebody was sliced in two while a kid was shot by a bullet through his temple. Itachi made a face at the exaggerated and bloody gore scenes, while Sasuke kept his eyes shut. The little girl in the movie hunted some old man around with a frying pan, still mumbling about that she was going to fry him. With garlic sauce. When everybody had ended up killed and the point of the movie appeared to be useless, Sasuke sat up.

"Now when mom and dad's gone, we can be up all night and have fun!"

He eagerly jumped up and proceeded to scamper out of the dark living room, but his brother caught him by his shirt a moment later. "Stop there, otouto. I promised a certain woman very carefully that you would be asleep at eleven."

"But I'm not tired! C'mon, Itachi!"

Itachi sighed and remembered what his mother had said before she and Fugaku left.

_"Don't forget which number to call in case of an emergency! And call us if something happens! We will probably be home around midnight. Can I trust you in this, Itachi? And don't let your brother watch any horror movies before bedtime, otherwise he won't be able fall asleep! __And Sasuke shall be asleep at eleven o'clock! Not a minute after that! Is it clear, Itachi?"_  


It was rather hard for her to leave her eighteen-year-old son in charge of her twelve-year-old, even for a night. Itachi had calmed her the best he could and agreed to her conditions, but he realized that he already had broken one of his promises.

Sasuke tugged at his brother's sleeve and scowled. "No fair, nii-san! Why do I have to go to bed?! And what are you supposed to do until they come home if I can't keep you company?"

Itachi rolled his eyes. "I'll sit in the kitchen, read a book, watch over you and make sure you don't fall out from your bed."

"This is not a joke! Please, nii-san! Let me stay up just a little bit more!"

Itachi raised his eyebrows the tiniest fraction of an inch. "But what are you supposed to do then? If you watch another horror movie you won't be able to fall asleep."

Sasuke hugged him tightly. "Thank you!"

"I didn't say that you could, otouto." He smiled teasingly as he wrapped an arm around his sibling's slim waist. "Mother won't be happy when they come home and find you here, scampering around in all your adorableness when you should be asleep like a little pig."

Sasuke pouted and Itachi placed a kiss on his forehead. "Change to pajamas, otouto. Then we can discuss the matter of your bedtime."

Sasuke changed to his favorite pajamas – a blue, fluffy thing covered with yellow ducks. He had just left his room when something suddenly grabbed him from behind and put a hand over his mouth.

Convinced that the psychopathic murderer had caught up to him, he started to struggle and yell: "NIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII-SAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN! _Aniiiiiiikiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii iiiiiiiiiii_ -"

A warm voice replied right at his ear and the hand disappeared. "What's wrong, otouto?"

Sasuke angrily turned around with flushed cheeks and pounding heart. "Never do that again, Itachi! You scared the shit out of me!"

"Sorry", Itachi mumbled and kissed his brother's cheek, smiling at his cute pout. "I couldn't resist."

"Will you let me stay up for a bit, nii-san? _Please?" _Sasuke adopted his most adorable facial expression that no one was able to resist – big, sad puppy eyes, trembling lips and a fake tear-filled voice.

"Sure", Itachi agreed tenderly. "But on one condition – you will stay in your bedroom the whole time in case parents come home earlier than expected."

"Why are you so anxious?" Sasuke laughed and ran to his room. He jumped up on his bed and grabbed his pillow. "Let's have a pillow-fight, nii-san! You don't stand a chance!"

"Really?" his elder sibling smiled and before Sasuke had time to twinkle, he got a pillow in his head with such force that he almost fell out from the bed. "Hey, be careful!"

Soon feathers were flying around in the air like falling snow and Sasuke's room was soon covered with blankets, pillows and clothes in a mess. He built a provisional shelter from which he peppered his brother with everything within reach. He happened to demolish his shelter a couple of times in his eagerness to hit his brother, who had the upper hand.

Itachi closed in on him and Sasuke threw a pillow that hit the opposite wall and turned a bookshelf over. None of the brothers noticed the loud crash that was heard when Sasuke's books, CD cases and a tomato statue hit the floor. Sasuke jumped up on his bed and almost stumbled on his mattress that was torn up from the sheets. Itachi was closing in on him like a panther and Sasuke yelled: "Ceasefire!" only to be ignored and pinned down by his sibling.

The brothers immediately ended up in some kind of playful tickling-hugging fight on the bed that was a mix of a wrestling match and a love act. It resulted with Sasuke laughing, writhing and gasping "Nii-san!" as the older boy held him down. Sasuke had a poor chance – his brother was strong enough to kill a whole group of Jounins on his own and Sasuke, a mere twelve-year-old, stood no chance against him.

Ignoring his brother's half-hearted shouts about truce, Itachi didn't stop until he had his younger sibling firmly pinned beneath him. Sasuke pouted and squirmed, trying to get away. "You always win, because you're stronger than me", he sulked. Itachi smiled lovingly at the younger. "Isn't that fair, otouto?"

Sasuke tried desperately to get free, he struggled and pushed his brother who watched his fruitless attempts amusedly.

"Nii-san", Sasuke tried and just in case activated his famous puppy eyes, "Can you let go of me now. The fight is over."

"Is that so?"

Sasuke's lips began to tremble again. Itachi raised his eyebrows and soon his grip loosened around Sasuke. The younger boy immediately turned around and used Itachi's confusion to his advantage. But his sibling caught up to him a moment later and wrapped his strong arms around him.

"Nice try, otouto."

Sasuke squirmed and they resulted in rolling down from the bed, dragging the half of Sasuke's mattress with them. Sasuke straddled his brother and tried to untie himself from his sheet that was wrapped around his body while sitting on his brother's stomach.

Itachi was lying on his back with his black hair spread beneath him, untied by Sasuke earlier during their fight.

"I win", Sasuke established with a self-satisfied smile. He leaned forward and supported a part of his weight on his hands, placing them on either side of the older boy's head. Itachi responded by dragging him down to his chest, kissing his brother's adorable face. "You're welcome, little brother."

"Hey, you didn't let me win! I won by myself!"

Chuckling, Itachi looked around in the room that looked like a war zone, to be blunt. The content of the shelves in the room had spread over the floor and a sacrificed house plant had fallen down, covering a bit of the floor with soil and water. The floor was covered with pillows and blankets, most of them brought from the living room.

Sasuke's poor bed looked rather demolished and there was feathers everywhere. Sasuke distractedly picked some of them away from his brother's hair. Itachi glanced at the clock and saw that it was past midnight.

"Otouto", he mumbled, "We should clean up here now."

In the same moment, they heard the front door open. Both the brothers froze.

The door opened slowly, sounding ominously.

"What if... what if it's the psychopathic murderer? What should we do, Nii-san?" Sasuke whispered horrified.

Itachi rolled his eyes. "I don't think so."

Sasuke sniffed. "What if it's a burglar? What if it's a murderer? Nii-san..."

Itachi sat up. "Wait here", he commanded and gently lifted Sasuke off him. "I'll go check it out."

Suddenly they heard a familiar, cheerful voice: "Itachi! We're home! And I _really_ hope Sasuke's asleep by now!"

"Damn", Itachi hissed.

Sasuke got up. "Shit, what –" In the next moment the light went out. "Lie down!" the elder whispered and the moment after Sasuke was pushed to his bed. He hurried to put his mattress back in place and dived under his blanket.

"Itachi! Where are you?"

Itachi was just about to slip out of the room when Mikoto opened the door.

"Itachi?" she whispered. "I'm here", her son answered.

Mikoto's eyes suddenly caught a faint mess on the floor by the light that shone in from the hallway. Her extraordinary housewife senses could feel something – a plant in distress.

Before Itachi had time to react she stepped into the room and pushed the light switch.

The first thing she saw was the floor, which was almost invisible because of the pillows and blankets lying all over. Then she saw a pair of black eyes shyly peeking out from under the blanket on Sasuke's bed.

"You have a _lot_ of work to do tomorrow", she said using her most horrifying voice, sending chills down her children's spines. She put her hands on her hips. "And Itachi, you're going to rescue that flower _right_ _now_."

When Sasuke attempted to get up, she snapped "You!", making him freeze on the spot. "Don't. Move. I should have known that Itachi would let you stay up! You should have been asleep two hours ago! If you leave that bed before tomorrow, you're grounded."

Sasuke sat up. "Did you know that the tomato actually is a fruit and not a vegetable?"

Mikoto face-palmed and glared at her other son who broke down in laughter.

**xxx**

Sasuke groaned and turned around, dragging his blanket around him like a shelter. It was so warm and dark in here… he wanted to stay here forever. It felt as if he had just been sleeping for some minutes.

Suddenly the warmness disappeared. It all went so quickly, his shelter was gone and his pajama-clothed body was exposed to the cold air without warning. The sudden light stung his eyes when he struggled to keep them closed.

"It's time to wake up now, lazy little brother", someone said softly.

Sasuke groaned and kicked aimlessly, reaching out for his blanket. "Itachi! You bastard, give me my blanket back! I'm trying to sleep!" he whined.

"No", his brother's voice sang. Sasuke felt the bed dip a bit and soon a warm body leaned over his, embracing him. "Good morning", Itachi whispered in his ear.

"Bad morning", Sasuke grumped. He felt his brother smirk a bit against the skin on his neck and suddenly he was lifted up.

"Nii-san!" he yelped. Itachi carried him with ease to the kitchen where he put him down for examination. Mikoto was cooking. "Good morning Sasuke", she said still a bit sourly. "_Dinner _is almost ready."

Sasuke looked confused around, his spiky hair pointing in all directions. "What time is it?"

"Three in the afternoon", his mother answered with narrow eyes. "So you finally got your brother out of bed", she greeted Itachi.

Sasuke leaned against his sibling and yawned. "I'm tired", he whined.

Itachi ruffled his hair. "Maybe cleaning your room will make you alert, sleepyhead", he teased.

"Let's see who will make it to my room first! The last one is a rotten tomato!" Sasuke yelled, suddenly overflowing with energy. The moment after the kitchen door was almost broken down when her sons spurted out of the room.

Mikoto shook her head. "Boys", she sighed.

Itachi and Sasuke rushed like galloping warhorses through the house. Sasuke almost slipped on the carpets a couple of times and used his brother's shirt as support, slowing the elder down a great deal until Itachi got free. Sasuke only saw his brother's self-satisfied smile a moment before he was pushed out of the way.

"No fair!" he yelled and ran up the stairs after his sibling. When he finally reached his room he miscalculated the distance and had too much force in his steps, causing him to almost fly in through the open door. Itachi grabbed him before he hit the opposite wall.

Sasuke sank down on the pillow-covered floor, breathless. He gave his brother a glance. Then he picked up a pillow. Itachi was already prepared however, he was over his sibling a moment later and tickled him mercilessly. He knew his brother's weak spots and straddled him to get better access to them. None of them had any second thoughts about their position; least of all Sasuke, who was too absorbed by his playful fight with his big brother.

"Nii-san, stop – ahhaaaahahahahahahhhahah! Seriously – ahha – stop it!" Sasuke grabbed his brother's long hair in revenge and at the same time tried to shield his stomach and armpits.

"_Itachi and Sasuke! You better be cleaning right now!"_

"You know what?" the younger Uchiha spoke out as his brother got off him. "I suddenly feel that I have no energy left. Especially not for cleaning my room."

The moment after Sasuke picked up another pillow and threw it at his brother. And then it all started over.


	16. Bonds

**A/N: **Hi everybody. I slacked off with my update, didn't I? Well, I'm still alive and I've not gone to yaoi heaven (yet). (Or actually I have but that's another story xDD) Anyway. Enjoy x3

* * *

**16. Bonds  
**

Itachi groaned and turned around in the bed, tightening his grip around Sasuke. This morning started just as peacefully as any other, and nothing could get better. He exhaled delighted in his brother's soft hair, enjoying waking up by his brother's side like this. Sasuke whined in his sleep and tried to press himself tighter to his sibling's warm, shielding body. He slowly opened his eyes and mumbled: "I love you nii-san."

He was lying between the wall and Itachi but the peace was soon destroyed when he suddenly spotted something.  
There on the wall, a yard above him… It was big. And it was slowly creeping towards him with its thick legs and the black eyes clearly visible.

A wave of disgust swept through Sasuke and he abruptly tried to scotch away, causing the back of his head to violently bump into Itachi's collarbone. The older boy moved a little.

"Sasuke?" he mumbled sleepily and yawned. Sasuke on the other hand panic-stricken crawled up on his brother's body and yelled: "Hurry nii-san! Get up! We have to flee! We must evacuate the building before it kills us! Get up!"

Itachi stirred and immediately sat up. What was happening, were they under attack all of a sudden? In instant Mission/Older Brother-mode, he pressed Sasuke against himself while he swiftly reached out for a kunai with his free hand.

Itachi recognized the 'enemy' and raised his eyebrows.  
It was a big spider indeed, but nothing of that kind could unsettle him in the least nowadays.

He was a bit annoyed now, not because of his brother but the spider. His wonderful morning peace with Sasuke was destroyed and his sibling's discomfort affected him too. So without even looking, he simply pushed his kunai into the wall and lay down again with Sasuke against his chest.

Sasuke snuggled up to him and smiled. That hideous thing was silenced forever. He nuzzled his brother's face. With their lips only some inches apart, they fell asleep again.

.

They woke up a while later by a cheerful voice. "Sasuke, it's time to take your vitamins"; Mikoto announced and entered the room with a bottle and a spoon in her hands. Sasuke's eyes widened and he tried to sneak out from the room, but was stopped by his brother. "You need to take that, otouto. Kids needs vitamins to grow properly."

Sasuke pouted. "I don't want to! It tastes a-w-f-u-l. I hate it!"

"I'll leave it up to you", Mikoto told her eldest son and left the room after arming him with the bottle and the spoon.

Sasuke looked pleadingly at Itachi. "Can't you 'help' me take it, like you did with my cough medicine last year?"

Itachi hesitated for a short moment, before he decided. "Come here"; he said and pulled his brother to his bed again. He closed his bedroom door behind them. Itachi poured the yellow liquid into the spoon and then put it in his mouth. He couldn't suppress a grimace – which horrible things they forced the kids to drink! He kept his mouth closed and put the spoon aside.  
Sasuke hesitated for a moment, not sure if he wanted to take the medicine anyway, but Itachi bent down and kissed him forcefully.

Although Sasuke tried to keep his lips closed and just kiss him, they had a deal. Itachi's tongue slipped into his mouth and effectively filled it with the medicine. A shiver went through Sasuke and he fisted his brother's hair, having no choice but to receive the vitamins anyway. He had to admit; it actually tasted a little bit better when mixed with his brother's saliva. Itachi's mouth was blocking the way out effectively and he had to swallow or suffocate.

Itachi looked like a penguin feeding its chick, and his black, untied hair fell around the both of them. Sasuke's heart was already pounding strongly in his chest and he closed his eyes just like his brother did, and their kiss became sweeter and deeper when Sasuke had been forced to swallow the most of the medicine. He ran out of breath sooner than Itachi, and when the elder pulled apart he breathed heavily and wrapped his arms around his siblings body for support while Itachi placed affective kisses on his cheeks, forehead and nose."Good otouto", he smiled. He bent forward and carefully licked away a drop of the medicine that was still stuck on the corner of Sasuke's mouth.

Sasuke blushed violently and buried his face against his brother's stomach. "It tasted horrible."

Itachi fondled his hair. "I know. But now it's over."

**xxx**

"Itachi, you never told me you had a brother."

"He is _kawaaaii! _May I pat his head?"

The ANBU members were to say the least dazzled by Sasuke. The child himself was standing a bit for himself, pouting. Itachi had let him come with him to the training fields were Itachi and his team would be training, on the condition that Sasuke kept himself out of the way. But to his great disappointment, Itachi's teammates weren't as cool as he had imagined. But of course, no one was cooler than Nii-san.

The girl that he once had seen hugging Itachi was there and she petted with Sasuke, which annoyed him greatly. As Itachi and Shisui who also was there to train with them sparred, she tried to talk with him.

"You are so cute! How old are you?" she asked kindly.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes. "I don't like you."

She seemed shocked for a moment, then she smiled again. "I never knew Itachi-kun had a little brother."

"I'm not", Sasuke said annoyed.

"Excuse me?"

"I'm not his brother; I'm his girlfriend."

"W-what?" She looked like she just had witnessed an explosion. "You-you –"

At the same time Itachi and Shisui walked over to them. The girl looked from Itachi to Sasuke and back again and frowned. "Girlfriend…?" she asked faintly.

Shisui grinned. "So you heard the big news. But don't run off in shock; it's not like 'two siblings find each other attractive and sleep with each other just to mess with the society'." Just when Itachi was about to glare at him for his choice of words, Shisui added: "It's something deeper between them. Dare I call it true love."

As the girl ran for her life, screaming nasty things about incest, Itachi could see how another thing got added to his father's black list.

"_People of the same gender can't be in love. People with different skin colors cannot be in love. And siblings can't definitively not be in love. They're brothers, for all it's worth!" _

It was the same bullshit. Everything is possible.

Itachi turned to his brother who looked rather pleased with himself. "I have to train with one of my teammates now, Sasuke", he said and stroked his brother's cheek for a moment. "I'll soon be back. Shisui will look after you in the meanwhile."

"But nii-san you said you would teach me a shuriken technique today!"

"Trust me, kiddo, I didn't choose to babysit you", Shisui muttered.

"It's not for very long", Itachi reassured and gave his brother a quick smile before turned around and pulled out his katana. "And don't worry about me, we're only practicing."

Sasuke remembered the last time he had watched his brother train with his comrades. He had thought that Itachi was in danger and had rushed out on the training field to "save" him in the middle of a fake-fight. Itachi had not appreciated said action very much, especially not when Sasuke was almost stabbed in the process.

When his brother had gone away, Sasuke muttered: "I wish Nii-san could let me fight him some day. Or at least, I want to defeat someone."

"A brat like you shouldn't say anything. If we fought, you would be pinned down against the ground one second later. You don't stand a chance against me." Shisui smiled haughtily.

Sasuke pouted. "But you're not my big brother! Nii-san would never do something like that to me!"

"Oh, so you and he are the 'happy, loving siblings' all the time, no matter what happens?"

Sasuke thought for a moment. "We fight sometimes. Mostly it's about who's going to get the last dango or rice ball, and then mom says that hell breaks loose. And when he can't train with me although he's promised to, I can be rather angry with him. But when I sulk he just pin me down and kiss me or something. Aniki is never angry with me. And we always love each other even if we fight."

Shisui sighed. "What about anything else? Doesn't he ever tease you? You know, in the annoying-older-sibling-way? Are you never defiant, in the stupid-younger-sibling-way?"

Sasuke glared at him. "Stop saying those things about my Nii-san! He is the best big brother there is and will ever be, and he does everything for me."  
His cousin suddenly smiled and ruffled his hair. "I know, kiddo. And I know Itachi. I was just testing you, you know."

Sasuke pouted angrily. "What for?"

"Well, to see if you're worthy to be my best friend's _boy_friend."

Sasuke's eyes widened. "What?"

"You'll understand when you get older", Shisui smirked, well knowing about how frustrating those words were.

Sasuke pouted angrily. He was filled with sadness when he realized that his nii-san was busy with training. Again. They had so less time together…  
Shisui thought for a moment, not able to resist the temptation to tease him even more, and spoke up:

"Do you know what, Sasuke? When Itachi was younger he called me 'nii-san'."

"He did?"

Shisui watched his cousin intensively, wondering how he would react. But Sasuke didn't throw a fit of jealousy, his face was surprisingly calm.

"May I call you 'nii-san' too, Shisui?"

The older boy shrugged. "Sure. Whoa, suddenly I've got three small siblings instead of one."

Sasuke smiled up at him with the smile he usually reserved for Itachi. "So what should we do now, nii-san?"

Itachi walked up to them, smiling. "What are you two doing?"

"Shisui-Nii and I were just discussing that", the younger boy answered.

Itachi looked from Sasuke to Shisui and then back again with a face of unfeigned shock. He tried his best to conceal it when he had recovered a bit from the surprise, but his two favorite persons in the world weren't fooled. Sasuke tried his best to hide a big smile of satisfaction by seeing the glimpse of something new in his brother's eyes.

_I want my real Aniki to realize that he only has one Otouto.  
_

Shisui ruffled his little cousin's hair, involved in the little game.

"Well, you should probably continue training now, Itachi. I'll take good care of _my _otouto."  
He knew that he was playing with fire, but he couldn't resist teasing his best friend. Itachi's jaws locked and his eyes narrowed dangerously at his cousin.

He pulled Sasuke into a tight hug and lifted him up. "I'm sorry, Shisui, but this one belongs to _me._"

Sasuke wrapped his arms around his brother's neck and his legs around his waist, surprised when Itachi started to kiss him. Itachi was rarely the one to take the lead when it came to cuddling interactions among people.

Sasuke's smile almost split his face in half. He had made his Nii-san jealous and he loved it.

Itachi nuzzled their faces together. As they kissed sensually and passionately, Shisui grimaced. He pulled out his sword and decided to ask some of Itachi's teammates if they were up for a fight. If he stayed here he would most likely end up cuddled to death. Then he saw the girl in Itachi's team sparring with her teammate. He smiled broadly.

"It's all about 'thrusting in'", he declared cheerfully and wielded his katana gracefully.

Itachi choked on his own saliva and glared daggers at his cousin.

"Do you want to die right now or do you want a moment to figure out your epitaph?"

"Oh, I'm _so _scared."

"Stop saying those inappropriate things when Sasuke is around", Itachi said and put his brother down on the ground. "I'm serious."

"I meant the sword", Shisui said with faked innocence. "Thrusting in the sword in the tight heat–"

"And now you're making bad jokes about killing people. Seriously, Shisui."

"Hey, _you_ were the one who started to joke about death!"

"I never thought I would say this, Shisui, but - is sex the only thing you can think about for more than two seconds?"

"I'm a sixteen-year old boy! What the hell do you expect?" Shisui yelled. "Stop fussing and get laid already!_"_

Itachi just scowled at him. He was glad he wasn't wasting his life by focusing on one single thing.

Shisui rolled his eyes dramatically. "Oh, the big weasel isn't amused, I see."

Itachi advanced on him a moment later and wielded his sword. Shisui gulped nervously and looked at the edge of the katana that was pointing at his neck. "Eheh... please put that aside, Itachi. If you stumble I'll be sliced faster than one of Sasuke's tomatoes."

Sasuke looked up at them and wondered what they were fussing about. But he was used to have Itachi and Shisui arguing like this, and although they seemed to be able to lose control at any moment it never ended in serious violence.

There were two things that aggravated Itachi more than anything else – threats to his brother's wellbeing and health and threats to his brother's innocence often had him react the same way. He was firmly determined that Sasuke should be protected from those things Shisui had stuffed his head with when he was younger.

"Let's go home, Sasuke", he said and lazily put his sword aside. His little brother attached himself to his waist and nuzzled his stomach. "Kiss me aniki", he said and lifted his adorable face up. As Itachi humored him he mumbled: "I think Kaa-san has made tomato soup for us today."  
He could feel Sasuke's happiness beam from him as he lifted his head. "Do you want some too, Shisui?"

His friend grinned. "Count me in, I'm always hungry."

When they came home, Mikoto was almost done with the soup and the rice and she asked Itachi to watch over it the last minutes while she went to the market.  
It turned out to be the perfect opportunity for Itachi and Sasuke to spend some "brotherly" time together. Sasuke wrapped his arms around his brother's neck as the elder bent down and kissed him passionately. Their cousin nonchalantly whistled and pretended to have gone blind all of a sudden. Sasuke and Itachi lapped at each other's tongues and their lips met over and over again. Eventually Shisui was the one who had to remind them that the soup would not last forever.

Sasuke was allowed to carry Itachi's uniform to his room while the elder set the table. Sasuke viewed it like a difficult mission and pretended that he was Itachi's subordinate. However, when he was on his way back to the kitchen he spotted something on the wall beside him.

Sasuke stared at the big, motionless spider. He remembered his cousin Natsumi's prank – when she had placed plastic insects on his pillow to scare him. Maybe this also was one of her silly jokes. Maybe she had hid and just waited for him to scream so she could fool him.  
But Sasuke wasn't going to be fooled this time, take his word. But still… it looked so real.

But no. He wasn't going to make a fool of himself this time too. No way.

Sasuke reached out a slightly trembling hand, but when he saw that it remained motionless he got more confidence. It was just plastic.

In the same moment his hand made contact with it, he snatched it back as if he had burned himself. But the no doubt real spider had already moved to his hand and it crawled further up his arm by each second with an amazing speed. Sasuke's breath hitched and he panicked. He desperately tried to wipe it off, but his movements were clumsy and panic-stricken. He only resulted in slapping himself instead of brushing the insect aside.

"Nii-san! NII-SAN!" he started to yell without really knowing that he was doing it – it had became an instinct, an unconscious action whenever he was scared or troubled, "_Nii-saaaan! Take it away_! _Take it away! Nii-saaaaaaaaan!"_

A mere moment later, Sasuke's savior was there. But it took some seconds for Itachi to recognize the culprit this time. When he did, he calmly stilled Sasuke's arm while his free hand casually closed around the big spider as if that was something he did every day.  
"I'll release it in the garden"; he told him and left. Sasuke looked at his brother's disappearing back, still shocked, scared and gasping. How could Nii-san touch it?

When Itachi came back, he pulled the younger boy in a comforting hug. "Are you alright?"

His tone was light, intended to calm, but Sasuke clung to him the more intense.

"What- what if it comes back?" he whimpered. "What if it sneaks back through a crack in the door and attacks me again?"

Itachi suppressed a chuckle. "It wasn't attacking you, otouto. There's no need to feel fear for something that is that much smaller than you."

"B-b-but nii-san, it was huge! It was going to bite me! There are poisonous spiders out there! And snakes! And –"

"It was just a ordinary spider. Not the smallest kind, but anyway. Actually, if you see a spider it means that you're going to get very lucky. It was a good sign. And it was definitely not poisonous."

"But what if it comes back when I'm asleep? What if it crawls right over my face with its hairy eight legs and it's –"

Itachi felt his trembling shoulders and tightened his grip around him. "It won't."

Sasuke looked up at him with wide eyes, noticing the change in his brother's voice. "Why?"

"Because I killed it." Itachi's voice was low and soft, but it shocked Sasuke nevertheless.

"Why – why are our house filled with spiders, aniki?" he asked when he had recovered a bit from his surprise. "There was one this morning and now this one – what are we going to do?"

Itachi frowned and took some seconds before he answered. "Actually – I –"

"There is things that even geniuses can't explain", Shisui said and leaned against the door frame, grinning. "Maybe the Spider Invasion has started. Take cover."

Sasuke winced. "Shut up!"

When they entered the kitchen, they found the explanation in form of a black-haired mischief who was on her way half-way up the kitchen cabinet. On the counter was a transparent jar placed, filled with big spiders.

Sasuke shied back and buried his face against his sibling's arm.

"How did you get here, Natsumi? What the hell are you doing?" he whined.

She grinned in time with her older brother across the room. "Sorry, I just wanted to see what would happen if these spiders got a new, nice home… inside of your fridge. But some of them escaped this morning..."

"We've taken care of them", Itachi said calmly as if he was talking about disposed enemies.

Sasuke looked at the spiders and winced. "Make them disappear!"

She rolled her eyes. "Stop being such a crybaby, itoko! It's just insects!"

Itachi smiled mischievously at her. "If there was a mouse on the floor right now, you'd be standing on the kitchen table screaming your lungs out."

She gaped and almost fell down from the cupboard in shock. "How did you know?"

Itachi just raised his eyebrows. "Shisui tells me a lot of things."

Natsumi glared at her brother. "Stupid nii-san", she muttered. "I don't want to let them go" - she gave the collected spiders an almost motherly glance - "It took me _ages _to find this kind of meat-eating bastards. I had to lift on practically every stone in the forest!"

She moved to the counter and took hold of the jar. "Where can I put them, I wonder?" she said and sent a teasing look to her contemporary cousin. Sasuke glared at her and instantly thought of the perfect revenge.

He put on an act of shock and surprise and suddenly pointed at the floor. "_Look!_ A rat! There's a rat right there! And a small little evil mouse with red eyes! It has such a long skinny tail –"

"IIIIIHHHH- Where? _Where?_ _Ugh,_ take it awaaaaaay!" She dropped the jar she was holding and jumped up on the kitchen table, which not was very shielding as it was only a foot above the floor. Shisui laughed whole-heartedly.

"It's just a helpless animal –" Sasuke's satisfaction turned to pure horror when the jar cracked as it hit the floor and the big spiders crawled out.

And soon there were two panic-stricken kids on the table, yelling to high heaven.

To say the least, Itachi and Shisui were in _deep _trouble when Mikoto came home.

* * *

.

**Please review, dear readers! ^^  
**


	17. Anniversary

**A/N**: This chapter is dedicated to everyone who has ever felt that the world does not accept your OTP, incest pairings, ItaSasu, non-straight pairings or whatever. Stand up for what you believe in, guys! x3

**Disclaimer:** No character bashing / side pairings bashing intended.

Special oneshot; Itachi is 22 and Sasuke is 16.

* * *

**17: Anniversary**

It was with a warm smile Itachi Uchiha entered the kitchen a certain day. Actually, it was nothing special about that day, except that he had decided to make it that way. He heard the sound of his little brother's voice from the kitchen:

"Fuck it! I'm never going to make it!"

"What are you doing, little brother?"

"Eh... nothing?" Sasuke turned the stove off. He had their yellow apron tied over his waist and his hands were covered with flour.

Itachi watched the faint blush starting to appear on his brother's face when he noticed the mess in the kitchen and… the chocolate cake in the oven.

"Sasuke?"

"I'm not as good as you, okay?" the younger boy blurted out. "I was just trying to…"

Itachi put an arm around his shoulder. "It's wonderful, Sasuke. Thank you." He smiled down at his brother. "It will fit perfectly for this day."

"What about it?" Sasuke asked.

"I was thinking of something... special. What do you say if we celebrate our Anniversary today?"

"Anniversary?" Sasuke was confused. "We have nothing to celebrate. "

"Yes, think about it", the elder smiled and picked at his lips. "Today we've been brothers for sixteen years, seven months and three days. That is really something to celebrate – that I've had you for all that time."

"That we've had each other", Sasuke corrected him and reached up.

"And it has been exactly three years since we started _this _kind of relationship", Itachi smiled as his sibling stole a short, sweet kiss. _The days passed so quickly, but I thanked God for every single day. I can't thank Him enough. _

"Of course I want to celebrate it with you", Sasuke mumbled and took hold of his hand. Itachi distractedly wiped some chocolate sauce of the corners of his brother's lips.

"What do you say about going out somewhere? We can eat your cake later."

Sasuke ripped the apron of himself and felt eager. "Sure, nii-san. I'll just change clothes."

He went out in the hallway and flinched when he got sight of himself in the mirror hanging on the wall. Sasuke frowned. Not only he was having a bad hair day of the worst kind, he also had a 'bad appearance day' in every single way.

He wouldn't say that he was vain exactly, he was just... well, like every teenager he could get a hit of bad confidence now and then. Would his hair always look like a duck's butt until the day he died? Would he always have that crooked nose?

He didn't have the same body building as Itachi had, and he could never seem to have his smooth skin. Displeased he pulled his fingers through his messy hair.

Itachi placed his arms around him from behind. "You're so beautiful."

"No... I'm not... " There was no need to argue back though; Sasuke knew that he never could change his brother's opinion about his appearance. But he still was displeased with how he looked. Even though the love of his life was there every day and showered him with love and compliments, Sasuke's doubt was never far away. He met Itachi's warm gaze in the reflection of the mirror. He tried to find something beautiful in his own face, but it was hard. He could only see the flaws.

Itachi entangled their fingers and kept his gentle grip around the younger boy, when Sasuke asked him:

"Nii-san… Would you always love me, no matter what I do?"

"What do you mean little brother?"

"I mean… no matter what I do in the future, how I am… or… how I look? Would you love me anyway?"

The younger boy looked slightly worried. His face was adorable to the elder. "I mean... I'm just me. I'm not perfect. I'm just a childish and hopeless tomato lover. There's nothing special about me. I'll never be as strong as you, and I will never be good at what you are. My eyebrows are always too thick -"

Itachi laughed a bit, but his eyes were graver. "Sasuke… you should already know the answer. So well."

A moment later found Sasuke pressed against the wall, having his brother's hands on his cheeks. Itachi was grave, but a shadow of a smile played on his lips. "It doesn't matter what you do. I'll still always love you. And it's downright ridiculous that your appearance would matter. You know that, Sasuke."

Onyx eyes meeting each other, Sasuke's rosy cheeks seemed to glow and Itachi's intense gaze sent chills through him.

The elder's bangs stroked the younger's face as he leaned forward to close the last space between them. Sasuke tilted his head upwards a bit to allow their lips to meet perfectly. Itachi started kissing him, with so much tenderness and love. The younger boy immediately opened his mouth to give the elder full entrance. Their tongues met and lapped slightly at each other. Everything that existed to Sasuke then was his brother's warm body pressed against his and the feeling of his lips. Life could not get any better than this.

In moments like this, Sasuke felt that his love overcame everything else. He would give everything he had to Itachi, even his very own skin and bones; he would give up his life for him over and over again, just like Itachi always was prepared to do for him.

The elder soon deepened the kiss, rediscovering his little brother's warm mouth. Sasuke was in a daze, always feeling so blessed to be the one who got to be this close to Itachi. His arms reached up to wrap around the elder's neck, to pull him even closer. They couldn't get close enough.

When the small gaps between their lips was the only thing that kept Sasuke alive, Itachi decided to finish the kiss.

Sasuke breathed heavily and looked into the elder's eyes spell-bound. Itachi's dark, gleaming eyes were settled right on him, filled with affection.

"Forgot to breathe again, otouto?" he smirked.

Sasuke leaned forward and wrapped his arms around the elder's chest. He could feel his brother's fast heartbeats and frowned. "You are just as breathless", he panted. "It's not so easy to remember when you kiss me so… deeply."

The elder placed his chin on the younger's head. "I will always love you unconditionally, Sasuke. It would be a pure lie to state something else. It's your little flaws, your beautiful imperfectness that makes you _perfect. _In my eyes you'll always be the most pure and flawless person. It's your simple 'you-ness' that makes me so attached to you."

The younger smiled. The contact with Itachi had made him find himself; it had got him to experience the feeling of being in love. They couldn't be apart, not even for a day. Every bad moment was always made better by the other. They were like best friends, but so much more. They could always turn to each other.

Sasuke nuzzled his brother's chest and looked up at him with happiness shining from his eyes. The elder returned his smile.

"Sasuke… you're perfect just as you are. But I promise you otouto, that even if you would dye your hair orange and dress like Naruto, I wouldn't care." Itachi chuckled a bit.

The younger got lost in his laughter. So beautiful… he found himself staring dazzlingly at the elder. His friends used to tease him about it.

"Nii-san… the same goes for you, of course. But I don't know how to say it… how to find the right words. It will only sound painfully cliché to say 'I love you too, forever.'" Sasuke shook his head and grimaced.

"But that was what you wanted to say?" the elder asked amused.

"No!" the teen defended himself. "More something like this…"

He reached up and untied his brother's hair. Itachi's long black hair fell down around them like a curtain. Sasuke grabbed a strand of his hair and mixed it with his own. Raven black and gray black.

"We're just the same", he stated. "You and I. But just as the shadows in our hair are slightly different… so are we different, in some ways. But just as our eye colors are exactly the same…"

Sasuke looked Itachi deep in the eyes, "And the blood that's running through our veins will connect us forever. So are we the same deep inside. And that's just one of the reasons I will always love you, my brother."

Itachi rested his forehead against his. "Thank you, otouto."

"No, it's my turn to thank. Just remember that I will always give you everything I have, nii-san. To know that you will accept me… no matter of what I am not or haven't got…"

Itachi lifted him up bridal style. "Otouto…"

"IIIIIIIIIIIIIHHHHHHHHHH! Oh my god! Oh my god! Oh my god! Oh my fucking-!"

_"Mon dieu!"_

Both brothers looked at the now open front door, annoyed. Itachi's brow wrinkled.

This could only mean one thing… For God's sake, who let _them _in?

"It's them! It's them for real! Itachi is… holding…."

"IIIIIIIIIIIIIHHHH! Ah, God! Is this a dream or what?"

Sakura was so excited that she could barely talk. Behind her was about twenty girls standing, squealing, drooling, gasping and just… fangirling. Ino tried to push the pink-haired out of the way. "Hey, let me see…."

"DO FANSERVICE! PLEASE! I'm begging you!"

"Oh my God is it really -?"

Her eyes widened to the size of a tea plate and then adopted a literally heart-shaped shape.

Sasuke glared at the fangirls. Nothing annoyed him as much as they did. At school they could never leave him alone for a single moment, and now they had invaded their home too! In a desperate hope of giving them a heart-attack, he said:

"Itachi, show me what you got, baby" and started making out with his brother.

The fangirls reacted like expected. They almost screamed their heads off; too shocked to notice the heated make-out session. It was almost too much for their fangirl hearts to take.

"IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIHHHHHH SasukehitonItachi_ohmygod _….. My… dream… is… coming …true …I've never... been...so happy... in my whole..."

Ino's voice was half-suffocated. "Sasuke called Itachi 'baby'", she giggled and looked like she was about to tear her own skin off in pure excitement.

With a wordless scream of something close to despair or bliss, Sakura fainted. The other girls nudged and pushed each other, quarreling about who was going to get the best view. Sasuke glared at them. Couldn't they just step out and give him and his brother some private time? This was violation of domicile.

"The next person who says 'Oh my God' will get a hit of Chidori to her head. I'm not kidding", he stated coldly. "And if that's not enough to make you understand how less I care about you, take it as a clue to escape while you still can."

The fangirls got even more crazy. They screamed and gasped things like: "Badass Sasuke! I love you anyway!" "You are so cool, Sasuke-kun!" "I hate you but you are still so hot! Gaah! Kill me Sasuke! It will be my pleasure, whatever you do to me! Use me!"

In the next moment Itachi used Tsukiyomi to immobilize the girls and the Uchiha brother's fled. They left their home and escaped to a nearby café.

.

_So many people we see, and will never meet again. Everybody live inside of their own convictions, as you told me once, Nii-san. Everybody thinks different.  
It's becoming more and more important to find the one who gives us the meaning of our existence. I consider myself lucky, because I was born into the same family as my soul mate._

_Strange, isn't it? And the strangest part is that I can never tell you about all these… embarrassing thoughts. _

They sat down without ordering anything. Sasuke spotted some girls from his school sitting by a table not too far away from them, and he instinctively crouched over the table.

"Let's talk about something plain to not drag their attention here."

Itachi gave his brother a smile that would have gotten any girl in Sasuke's place to faint on the spot. "Plain, you say? Well, how was the new car I bought you for your birthday?"

Sasuke frowned. "Stop saying it like that, I feel so spoiled. You always waste so much money on me. But I love my Nissan car, _nii-san_. I had so fun with it the other day."

"What are you trying to say, foolish little brother?" Itachi asked and leaned closer.

Sasuke broke the spell between them. "Nothing in particular. Your flirting attempts are really obvious by the way, nii-san." Before Itachi had a chance to answer he continued: "But when I was out driving the other day I met Hidan. He screamed that he was going to sacrifice me because his God had told him to and tried to ram me with his car. But I just winded down the window, flipped him off and drove by. That was fun. Hidan tried to catch up to me and then the cops showed up. They were going to give me penalties because I drove to fast but then they realized that I didn't even have a proper driver's license yet, and _damn _what a fuss they made!"

Sasuke laughed wickedly at the memory. "Too bad for those idiots that I'm an Uchiha."

Itachi looked almost angry. "You won't touch that car again until you have a driver's license!"

"Why not? It was 'Jashin's' fault! Such a fake ass God he has!"

Itachi glared at him. "Nothing is as important to me as your safety. You could have been killed!"

The teen snorted. "No, why would I? I can handle that prick."

Itachi reached out and cupped Sasuke's chin, forcing him to look at him. "Otouto, no matter how unlikely it may seem to me, you are a human and not an angel."

The elder took a deep breath. "I can't even think about it. What if… what if I would lose you?" His eyes were filled with sudden anxiousness and worry. His sibling's heart ached at the sight.

"Sure, then. I can do as your say, on one condition."

"What?"

Sasuke leaned closer over the table and his hands gripped his sibling's hair. He closed his eyes and tilted his head slightly upwards in a silent request. Itachi stared at his brother's gorgeous features for a moment, overwhelmed. How could Sasuke ever think that he wasn't good enough for him?

Sasuke's milky skin and his black, thick eyelashes that casted faint shadows on his cheeks, and his soft, plump lips… Itachi enjoyed the sight with his whole heart for a moment, before he leaned closer and humored that angelic being. As they started kissing Itachi's hair fell around them like a curtain and cut them off from the outside world. They gripped each other's cheeks to hold themselves in place as their tongues molded. After a while they were forced to interrupt though, not because of the lack of oxygen but because the fact that they weren't alone. The last thing they needed right now was a crowd of drooling fangirls.

Itachi was reminded of the things he bought for them; things that would save them in situations like this.

"What's that?" Sasuke asked when Itachi pulled something out from his bag. The elder put the black sunglasses on and flashed his brother a heart-stopping smile with glimmering teeth. Sasuke almost fell out of his chair.

"I have a pair for you too", the long-haired said. But before he had time to hand them to Sasuke, a horde of screaming girls advanced on them.

Sakura and Ino were squealing at the top of their lungs:

"Saaaasukeeeeeee-kuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuun!"

"Will you just shut up?" Sasuke spoke out rudely.

Itachi grabbed his brother's hand and stood up. "Let's go."

They had to run out from the café in the middle of chaos, followed by their crazed fans.

"I feel like a celebrity", Sasuke gasped and laughed under his breath as they put street after street behind them. All they wanted was to be together at peace.

"This way, nii-san!" Sasuke led the way and hand-in-hand they defied the crowds of people on the streets, the cars and all other traffic.  
It took a while before they found an empty alley-way. They leaned against the brick wall slightly out of breath and laughed their heads off.

"They will never find us", Sasuke chuckled. "Just imagine their faces…" he mused gleefully.

"Don't be so sure about that", Itachi said and looked in the direction where they came from.

"This way, girls!" somebody gasped. Sasuke took a step forward and met them. He looked at them with blood-red eyes.

"Sasuke, remember – just don't kill them," his elder brother warned. "We don't want to draw attention to us today."

A moment later all of the girls were running in straight opposite direction, screaming, gasping and pushing each other out of the way as if the opposite street held the answer to all of their dreams.

"I placed them under genjutsu and made them think we escaped to a faraway island and married beneath the palm trees."

Itachi stepped closer to him. "Is that your dream? We can go there already today if you want to…"

Sasuke stretched up and placed his arms around his sibling's neck. "It really doesn't matter. Just as long as we are together."

"I thought you didn't like to sound cliché", Itachi mumbled and his hot breath ghosted over his brother's lips. The younger boy shrugged. Itachi moved so he had Sasuke pinned between the brick wall and himself. He moved his hands to the fabric on his brother's sensitive hips.

"We didn't finish our kiss before, so we have a lot to catch up on", the younger teen stated smirking. "Or in other words, you have lots of work to do." He flashed his brother a heart-stopping smile and Itachi moved closer with anticipation rising in his eyes.

"My pleasure. Although we're supposed to go to hell for this…"

Sasuke snorted. "Bring it on. I'm prepared to go straight to hell, if only you are with me."

_We'll take heaven with us, _he thought as Itachi captured his lips in a forceful, demanding kiss. His hands wandered up to the elder's hair to hold himself in place as he moved his lips just as eagerly against his.

"Didn't I show just enough last night how much I love you?" Itachi breathed.

"Show me more", Sasuke smirked.

Their eyes were clouded with desire and love, and the lust was driving them insane. To them, it had never mattered if what they did was wrong or not.

"You better not tease me, Sasuke", Itachi said with a strained voice when he felt his brother touch his body in the most mind-blowing ways. Sasuke smirked. "Oh, I do enjoy teasing you. That way I'll get what I want – and you get me – much faster."

He smirked as Itachi gave up with a low groan and pushed him against the wall, attacking his throat with passionate kisses. He closed his eyes and felt Itachi's eager lips against his as he let himself be completed in the sweetest of ways.

.

A while later they were shoved back to reality when they saw the amount of fans in the horizon come running towards them.

"Let's run before they do something drastic", Sasuke suggested and grabbed his brother's hand. "Before they force us to act in front of them or something. What is yaoi anyway?"

"Something that greedy, perverted girls want", Itachi smirked amused.

"Hell yeah!" Ino shouted from the other side of the street.

"Stop being so offensive! I'm a guy and I like yaoi too!" Naruto shouted.

"What a bright future we have! 73454596950690 international schoolgirls in the age of 10-30 coming this way, eager to pair us up with themselves, with everyone we know – and don't know – and their millions of copies with oh-so-realistic Mary Sues", Sasuke stated.

They took their escape to a nightclub as it was late afternoon, but the girls (and even some boys, Sasuke noticed) were following them hopelessly. They went to order a drink and Itachi turned towards Sasuke with the same kind but at the same time slightly teasing smile like always.

"Happy Anniversary, otouto. Sasuke, do you wanna marry me?"

In the background, the fangirls reacted as if they've gotten an electric shock.

"Oh, say yes! Say yes! Say 'oh you're so sweet of course I want to'! Say yes, Sasuke! Iiiiihhhhhhhh oh my -"

"No."

"What?" The fangirls gasped shocked.

Sasuke placed his arms around Itachi's waist. "_I_ wanna marry _you_. Right now. Hell I care that we're siblings. "

The elder smiled. "Thank you, otouto. But we'll have to wait until you're eighteen."

Sasuke pouted and looked totally heartbroken. The fangirls 'aww-ed' at the adorable look on his sad face.

"Don't worry, we're gonna marry you anyway! Right here! The couple may now kiss! Or… I mean, Itachi, you may now kiss the bride-"

The girls broke down in hysterical giggles. Their excitement level was beyond the stars. Sasuke frowned and suppressed an annoyed glare. Who dared them to call him 'bride'?

His face lit up when his brother leaned over him. "Sasuke…"

Itachi took a gentle hold of the younger boy's chin and looked into his eyes. Sasuke forgot all irritation and impatience and tried to keep himself from drowning in his brother's eyes. His lips practically screamed for completion.

Itachi's hands moved slowly from his chin to the sides of his head, sending tingles through Sasuke. The elder held him gently in place and leaned closer, so his breath was sweeping over Sasuke's face. The teen closed his eyes in that final moment when their lips finally connected. He gasped and tried to control himself. He wanted to drag Itachi closer and just kiss him and kiss him. His head turned a bit to give them better access and their noses touched briefly. Itachi smiled faintly and his warm tongue lapped at his brother's lips. It was a kiss of more intensity and passion than they had experienced for a very long time.

The girls were quarreling and fighting in the background, annoyed over each other's presence. An angry red-haired girl with glasses suddenly showed up behind Sakura and almost choked her. "Out of the way, Cherry Bitch!"

"I was here first so piss off!"

"You're blocking the view with your big forehead! Or should I say, you're _not _blocking the way with your oh-so-flat-chest!"

Ino elbowed herself in between them. "Move!"

"Piss off, Ino!"

"Have you never heard 'ladies first'?"

"Haha. Stupid blonde!"

"Ugly red-head!"

"No one is calling me ugl- Ow! What are you doing?"

"Speak for yourself!"

"Red is hotter than pink, Sakura. So fuck off and let me see them!"

"No way!"

"Do you want me to tell you a hurtful truth? Itachi and Sasuke don't give a fuck about you and they never will."

"_You_ speak for yourself, Karin! I hate you!"

"I said, move out of the way!"

"Shut up, Ino-pig!"

"C-c-can I-I s-s-ee S-s-s-asuk-e-k-k-ku-un...?"

"But what are _you _doing here Hinata? Gaaah!"

"I think it's time for a public announcement",Sasuke muttered sourly. "Not that I care in the slightest, but all of them girls will end up with some cold-hearted guy who mistreats them if they don't get through their thick skulls what true love really means. Appearance and gender doesn't matter."

They were surrounded by other people, also people who wasn't as happily obsessed with them as their dear fangirls. The man beside them snorted; apparently he realized that they were siblings.

"Fucking faggots. It's so fucking disgusting and gross that you two are together 'that' way. Are you letting the rest of your family watch as you fuck each other?"

That made Sasuke furious. What he and Itachi had was just as beautiful, pure and real as any straight non-related relationship! It was _holy_!

He stepped over to the man with Itachi closely behind him. "You listen up!" he growled.

"Otouto, calm down", Itachi said expressionlessly. "We can't -"

Sasuke ignored him. If Itachi didn't have the guts to stand up for them, he would.

"So you think I'm a freak because I love my brother 'that' way?" he shouted angrily. "And because I don't pick one of those pretty, weak, _false _little girls over there? Then shut your ugly hole and listen. I'm not saying that everyone should fuck their siblings or that it's wrong to be straight, I'm just saying that I don't give a fucking shit what you think. I've made my choice. It doesn't matter if we're straight or homosexuals or if we possibly would have _that _kind of relationship with out siblings. It doesn't fucking matter, do you understand?

We are all humans and our lives are too short to be wasting them on foolish assumptions. If we were alone, you'd be dead by now. Did you know that once and still somewhere in the world, homosexuality was considered a _disease? _Now you hear how disturbed it all is, these prejudices. Being in love with someone who had more or less money than you was also practically a disease. And loving someone with a different skin color was a fucking disaster. But of course you didn't know that, because you're too stupid and you don't see how pathetic your own reasons are -"

"Otouto, let it go. It's not -"

"No, nii-san. I wanna tell him this." Sasuke turned against the stranger with flaring red eyes. "So you don't like incest, ne? It sure as hell doesn't like you either. Yes, I am a faggot. But I will not go to hell. If anything; I'd go to yaoi heaven. God makes no mistakes so if I'm screwing my brother's brain out – let it be that way. What has that to do with you, anyway? Most of you are too scared and ashamed to admit the truth about you even for _yourselves. _You'd rather lie to yourselves in all eternity than confess your true self. When humans don't understand something, they become afraid of it and eventually resent it. Let's put an end to that human stupidity now. "

Sasuke gritted his teeth angrily and the stunned audience broke out in giggles, screams, applauds and happy shouts. The other man was infuriated. "How _dare _you say such things and even involve God in your disgusting lifestyle!?"

"Oh, apparently I hit a sensitive spot." Sasuke raised his eyebrows and looked arrogantly at the man.

"You're dead, you little shit - " The man took a step forward and raised his fist, but Itachi was there in front of Sasuke a second later. He gave the man a ice-cold, warning glance.

As the girls giggled, screamed and shouted in bliss and excitement in the background the man left the room after giving the brothers an enraged look.

"It's not wise to make enemies that easy, otouto", Itachi said quietly and rested his hand on his brother's shoulder to keep him from going after the man and beat the shit out of him. "It's just as well to let it go."

Sasuke was still upset. "I just couldn't let that prick -"

"I know. But be careful and remember – the world isn't parted in fangirls and homophobes. You will always meet people who think -

"That I'm a sick freak."

Itachi rested his head on his shoulder. "Don't care about them, Sasuke. They don't understand."

Sasuke didn't answer. His older brother put his arms around him. "Otouto -"

"Awww, such a sweet love story. Better than 'when the lion fell in love with the lamb.' This is more original. 'When the weasel fell in love with the duck.'"

"Fuck off!" Sasuke snapped at the crowded girls. "I can't even be with the love of my life in public because we're fucking _related_. What a love story!" Angrily he stepped away, only to have his brother following him. Sasuke embraced him tightly.

"Why is this world so cruel, nii-san? Why, why, why? Why can't we be like everybody else?"

Angry tears spilled out of his eyes. "Even if we don't give a shit what everybody thinks about us, we're still so limited! It's fucking _illegal_ for us to be together!"

Itachi kissed his neck softly. He was also sad, but he refrained himself from showing it. "That is the point with this world somehow. We want what we can't have; it's always been like that. But you know that I'll be always here for you."

Sasuke looked up at him. "You've always looked after me, no matter what. Even since we were kids – if a scary dog or some mean kids would advance on me, you would always stand in front of me to protect me. I want to do the same for you. I want to show you the same affection as you do all the time. But I can't -"

"You already do, otouto."

"Don't sound cliché now, please -"

Itachi smiled and kissed him. "As you please. Now, would you like to dance with me?"

"Dance?" Sasuke frowned.

Itachi smiled and poked his forehead. "Foolish little one – do you wanna celebrate our Anniversary or not?"

Sasuke nodded and looked around in the room. The light had become cozy and the heat from all the already dancing people was surrounding them. He smiled to himself and got into one of his teasing moods once again.

"Itachi", he mumbled companied by the fangirls' giggles, "I am a lock. Only you have the key. So come and lock me up!"

Somebody yelled "_Kawaii desu ne!"_ in the background before passing out and the other fangirls almost went crazy. "That was so, so-"

They covered their mouths with their hands and some of them even started to cry, overwhelmed by too strong feelings. Sasuke sighed. He gave a start when Itachi suddenly placed his arms around his waist. "Let's dance, otouto."

"I can't dance", he muttered, almost embarrassed.

"But I can." Itachi smiled.

"This is… ridiculous", Sasuke muttered. Itachi smiled and kissed him. "No, otouto. Relax and see what happens."

Not long after they were both dancing enthusiastically, ignoring the stares from the people around them. Sasuke was a bit embarrassed, but he decided that it all became better when Itachi was with him. This was actually their anniversary. Something he rather had liked to celebrate somewhere else, but this was also… fun. Dare he admit it.

The girls were red in their faces and squealed, but he held his brother's hands and imagined the rest of the night.

_Imagine the time we could have spent being productive_  
_Who could have guessed the Internet would become so obstructive  
But I can't help myself these characters are so seductive  
So damn hot that they're conductive_

He suddenly yelped when the elder lifted him up and whirled him around. "Itachi!" He was accompanied by loud squeals from the girls in the background.

The girls started to quarrel again. "What makes _you _think that you have more right to see Sasuke-kun than I?"

"I love Sasuke-kun because we make such a cute couple! Pink and blue all the way!"

"It's called _one-sided romance _for God's sake, Sakura! He feels nothing for you! I'm serious. Why don't you spare yourself from heartache and _move on?_"

They all forgot their fight and started breath faster, squealing and covering their mouths in admiration as they saw their favorite Uchiha brothers make out.

As Sasuke danced with his Itachi, he was overwhelmed by desire. He wanted his brother to make him scream. So loud.

_Look at all these feels  
If you don't ship it you won't understand that  
All my feels  
Have caused me to squeal uncontrollably yes  
All my feels  
Can't hold all these feels_

_Tumblr fandom style (ahh)  
Fandom style  
O- O- T- P  
Tumblr fandom style_

Soon the brothers were dancing tightly together underneath the glimmering lights. Not only they were becoming insanely aroused, it was more than that. This was how it should be. They just followed the collective rhythm of the whole room as they pressed each other tighter, tighter. They rested forehead against forehead and with a smile their lips connected. They molded, danced, squeezed each other as they moved around. Around them people were dancing wildly, switched partner and just participated in the wave of sound. But they stayed like they were in the middle of the messy room, as blue and purple flashes of light surrounded them. Different shades of light shone around them and they loved everything about it.

Everybody in the room started to move, it was like a wave swept through them.

Sakura found herself suddenly pinned to the wall by a certain blonde. "Let's compete about Sasuke later", Ino mumbled and kissed her deeply. "Right now, nothing will bring us apart. "

The surrounding girls suddenly yelled "Deidaraaaaaaaaaa-senpaaaaai!"

Said blonde stepped into the room, looked around and grinned confidently.

"Tonight I'm gonna show you some true art, danna, un", he said and grabbed his partner's hand. The red-haired man waved with a rainbow-colored flag.

"Let's have a rainbow party", he said bored. Deidara pressed him against the wall and smiled when Sasori took the lead and effectively silenced him with his mouth.

A girl screamed: "The rules are: You must dance with some of the same gender as yourself! And if you're related, you'll get extra points!"

They started dancing, all together. No one was really surprised when Hidan entered the room, still covered in blood from his latest sacrifice and dragged his partner with him.

"Pray to Jashin! Bend to Jashin-sama's will! Oi, Kakuzu, would you dance with me before we kill some bitches -?"

"No."

"Pretty please …. with sugar on the top?"

Kakuzu had him suddenly pressed to the wall.

Hinata was standing to herself in a corner when someone suddenly stepped over to her.

"Hinata-sama?"

"Neji-san?"

"I know this is a… non-straight party, but… since it's already decided by our destinies, would you… please dance with me?" Her cousin looked gravely at her. "At least we're related."

Red in her face and flushed by joy, she surprised them both by hugging him tightly.

Sasuke and Itachi didn't notice any of their friends though; they were caught up in their own little world. They were holding tight to each other and they could practically _feel _the love between them wrap around them and press them even tighter together.

Soon they let go of each other a bit and started dancing wilder, close to each other. Sasuke caught his brother's gaze and suddenly felt that this was something he could enjoy. As long as Itachi was with him, of course. The whole room was boiling with the raising heat and anticipation and he knew that everybody was looking at them, but he didn't care for a moment. Now it was their turn to enjoy the night. Annoying fangirls and other guys were far away in the horizon, now they could just become one with the music, with everybody around them, with themselves.

They made out eagerly, so tightly entangled as it was possible. Some people around them looked funny at them while other were inspired and soon they had started an own make out area in the middle of the dance floor.

_This is right_, Sasuke thought as he for a moment made completely body contact with Itachi. His body was taken over by the tickling feeling that filled him every time their skin made contact and he was overwhelmed by the desire to just grab Itachi and love him and love him for days, to show him exactly how much he meant to him. It was affecting him like a drug – without the side effects. He felt so high right now, knowing that Itachi's hands on his hips and the look in his eyes was the reason for his energy. He could see everything Itachi wanted to do with him tonight as if it had been his own thoughts and that made him feel even higher.

His brother smiled at him and hastily returned it. He was struck by surprise when Itachi suddenly grabbed his waist and lifted him up again.

The older sibling kissed his brother deeply and then pressed him against him. Sasuke wrapped his legs around his waist to hold himself in place and rested his head against Itachi's chest. A moment later they let go and continued their wild, their special, their sensual dance into the late hours, deliciously caught in the moment. The rest of the night that both of them yearned for could wait – this was now and this was how they enjoyed being together.

* * *

**Well, this was it! Please review!**


	18. Killer

**A/N:** Hi, everyone! Hope you are doing well! I know it was a little while since I last updated, but I've been kinda busy with life...

**A reply to an anonymous review I got: **What are you even getting at? Let me explain this first: If you can't even log in / give me a name and then tell me something like this and moreover express yourself really clumsily, then you are nothing but a cowardly flamer. Do you want me to learn something from what you said? In either way, I cannot make out any conclusion to your little speech and I don't need anyone telling me what I did bad without any tips of how to improve. Well, I'm sorry if I can't live up to your expectations, but I'm a human and not a machine. Good thing that you liked the first chapters, even though my writing is 10 times better now. Can you be at top all the time? I have my ups and downs just like everyone else – I cannot always perform at 110% which I usually do - and if that bothers you so much, then why are you even reading my story?  
Some chapters will be more random and funny than others, and that's how it is. I cannot only write deep, emotion-filled things all the time but if you actually dared to ask me, I can tell you that there will be much such things coming up after this era of slightly more facile chapters. And that gives you no right to judge my writing (or me) seeing as you've never met me and don't know what I'm about. Complaining anonymously is one of the meanest things you can do. I do intend to follow through with this story, no matter what you think of it. I love what I'm doing and I wouldn't post a chapter if I wasn't satisfied with how it turned out. Have you ever tried writing for an unknown audience over the whole world, taking so many different reactions and all that? It's fun as hell, but not so easy. Go ahead and complain, but I couldn't care less.  
P.S. The "original essence" is exactly what I'm finding and depicting in every chapter.

.

Now, let's get to the chapter :3 Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter 18: Killer**

Night. A black, endless sky hovering above the enormous forest that surrounded the village. The moon as a bright piece of ice on the sky, lightening up the battlefields, guiding the predators to their preys. Deep blackness among the high trees, a sense of fear creeping into every awake being's body. Blurry figures moving at an incomprehensive speed, the sounds of metal weapons clasping against each other in the stillness. All the animals fled, the masked shinobis closed in on their targets, the tension was almost vibrating in the air.

A harsh voice. "We can't wait until dawn. Itachi, you're in the first squad. Now go."

"_Itachi, you know what you'll do. Wait for us at the river."_

_He immediately set off, jumping from branch to branch with his Sharingan spinning. A dull fear was creeping into his young body, and he saw them – the targets. A couple of people running on the ground far beneath him, running through the forest as if there was no tomorrow. And in their case, there wasn't. _

_Itachi didn't want to do this. No, he wanted to be home and sleep like the other ten-years-old in Konoha. He wanted to watch over his little brother and relax. But he had his targets right below him now and there was no turning back.  
_

_His eyes suddenly widened. They were just kids, in his own age! But he heard his father's harsh commanding voice behind him and he knew that he wasn't allowed to fail. Never ever.  
He sent out a couple of kunais in a straight line as he jumped down on the ground, landing perfectly soundless on the soft grass behind them. A moment later they were all lying in front of him, some of them dead, some of them fatally wounded. _

_His comrades ran past him, already prepared for the next step, but he stayed where he was for the shortest of moments. He looked at the scattered bodies. There was only one grown-up and the rest of them were mere kids, some of them younger than he himself. Young… like Sasuke. Itachi bit back the panic that he felt striking him hard each time he thought of him in situations like this. _

_Some of the targets had been hit in their backs and instantly died while one, or maybe two of the youngest were still alive, bleeding from their chests. _

_Itachi felt the familiar sickness he had been suppressing for so many years well up in his throat and horrible memories from the war flashed in his head._

_He wanted to beg his victims for forgiveness and tend to their wounds - he knew that those humans would be dead within some minutes if they didn't get the help they needed - but he felt a heavy hand on his shoulder in the next moment. "We need to hurry, son." And he heard the unspoken words behind: "Leave them. They are soon gone anyway."  
_

The fourteen-year-old Itachi pulled out his katana in one swift movement as he closed in on the group of enemy ninjas, shutting the world off completely. And although he had done this so many times before, he still felt as if it was the very first time he took the life of another human being. But the guilt-lashed thrill easily became dull.

He came from behind as he raised his sword. He knew the movement all too well; not much strength was needed; only the angle and the speed mattered. He hit their necks smoothly, watching it all in slow-motion that short moment when he felt their weak skeleton give away for the weight of his weapon. The blood splattered all over his arms and his uniform. The sword that he mercilessly drove into their bones was already soaked as it cut of their neck artery along with their nerves and killed them instantly.

Itachi straightened his back and felt grateful for his ANBU mask now. At least it could hide a little bit of his inner breakdown, just long enough to wipe out his enemies. He didn't even know why he was here or what those people had done to harm the village or ANBU's plans; he only did was he was told to.

.

Sasuke slept restlessly, crouched up under his blanket. He saw red-eyed and blurry pictures for his inner vision, and he felt that something was chasing him in his dream. He was panic-stricken, and although he ran as fast as he could he was convinced that it was impossible to flee. His breathing was strained and irregular. More than once scared pleading words spilled from his lips. His small hands clutched his blanket helplessly and he was suffering in the absence of another body that always used to be by his side. He called out for help, pleading to be saved, but no one else was there in the dream.

Scattered words surrounded him like a blurry fog and he could hear: _There is no future for us. _Then: _Sorry, Sasuke…_

He didn't know what was happening until he woke up, lying alone in the darkness with pounding heart and breathing that sounded earsplitting loud in the silence. His parents were asleep and loneliness gripped his heart tightly. He realized that he was trembling and somewhere deep in his mind he could recall a memory of his brother fighting a drunk man on his bedroom floor... but the sleepiness was making him think strange thoughts.

He could suddenly feel someone embracing him, and he heard a calming voice that went straight to his heart and made it slow down a great deal. Nii-san had come home.

"It's okay, little one, you don't have to be scared…"

Sasuke's relief was so great that he didn't know how to react. He automatically reached up and embraced the other person's chest tightly. He felt a smell of sweat mixed with blood linger around his brother's body and he frowned a bit. Itachi's forehead was resting against his cheek as usual and he still had his whole uniform on, except for the mask. But this time Sasuke felt that it was Itachi who needed comfort.

The younger of the two could feel fresh blood on his brother's shoulder and he was overcome with worry. "Nii-san… are you hurt?" he croaked.

Itachi's voice was quiet, emotionless. "No." _Only inside. _

Upset tears filled Sasuke's eyes and he dragged the older boy's body down to lie beside him in the bed, not caring if the sheets became soiled. "Yes you are hurt, nii-san."

He snuggled up to his brother's chest and he felt Itachi wrap his arms around him and slowly kiss his neck. Sasuke inhaled slowly the sweet Nii-san scent and felt how all his fears from his nightmare were gone in a moment. He stroked his big brother's hair slowly like Itachi always did to him when he was sad, and hoped to be able to comfort him just a little bit at least.

"That isn't… my blood", Itachi mumbled against his neck. He expected Sasuke to stiffen and react with shock, but his brother remained relaxed.

"I'm glad you are safe", he whispered. They lay tightly pressed together in the darkness, alone in their own bubble of safety.

"I'll always be safe", Itachi promised him although he wasn't sure. He knew that his life could end any day; one day he might not come back from a mission. But he couldn't resist comforting his brother. "And you will too." His tense muscles relaxed a bit when he felt his sibling's steady heartbeats and his little soft hand stroking his hair.

"I won't die, nii-san", Sasuke assured with a faint smile.

Itachi's arms tightened around him again. He felt so melancholic now which caused a wave of protectiveness to spill from his heart. _Wrong, baby brother, _he thought. _So many people want to hurt you; so many people want your adorable heart to stop. But your Nii-san won't let that happen. He will make sure that no one ever hurt you. _

None of them said anything as Itachi continued to place small kisses on the skin of Sasuke's throat. After a while he slowly bared his teeth and let them touch his neck. The younger child was already peacefully asleep with his small arms wrapped protectively around his big brother's head and his fingers firmly entangled in his hair. Itachi marked him carefully and then closed his eyes as he kissed his little brother deeply, pouring all of his emotions into the younger boy. He would do anything to make sure tomorrow never came. But it would.

So many nights he had been feeling so lonely and sorrowful, before Sasuke's birth. And he could feel it again as he hugged his brother tightly against his chest, that he was still small. Itachi felt fragile inside and he didn't know what to do, but to give all his love and comfort to his brother. Sasuke had always been his strength, but also his single weak point.

It was hard for him to combine his ordinary life with his missions. It was difficult to be a good shinobi, a good son, a good man – a good brother – when he was constantly killing and separating families, parents, siblings and children. It was hard to fall asleep beside Sasuke at night when he just some hours earlier had murdered a boy in his little brother's age. It was hard to breathe with all those cruel, inhumane missions, but Itachi carried on. After all, what else could he do?

_A shinobi is a mere tool. A shinobi does not need any emotions. Cut your emotions off, suppress them. You will never need them again._

Itachi kept playing his part and he never showed anyone but Sasuke how he really felt. It was easy to lose his faith, to give up everything. It was true what he had told his clan fellows that day, as he wrote in Shisui's suicide note: _I'm tired of missions. There's no future for the Uchiha nor for me… _

He was invisible; his feelings were always hidden and pushed away. It was invisible, what he held inside. No one could sense the fragileness of the prodigy, the façade that was about to break every moment of the day. There were war and fights and death and horrible things everywhere and Itachi had clutched his head so many times, overwhelmed. The thoughts he had had so often before resurfaced his mind. For how long would it continue?

_For how long?_

_Why isn't the war over yet? Why do people have to do such things… or who make us do it…_

_Why must people suffer…?_

_I can't take it anymore! I can't take it anymore!_

Does one become a murderer as time passes by or are you born as one? Itachi didn't know the answer to that. He raised his head a bit and watched Sasuke's pretty little face rest in the pale moonlight that was shining in from the window. He kissed that unbelievable soft little cheek and cupped the child's face in his hands, stroking his closed eyelids ever so softly with the tip of his fingers.

His heart, his very heart was beating just for that foolish, cute and naïve little kid. Itachi buried his face against his sibling's hair and let his tears put him to sleep.

**xxx**

They awoke at dawn, pressed tightly together like usual. Sasuke carefully freed himself from his brother's embrace and watched him slowly wake up, caressing his soft face. "Good morning, nii-san", he whispered.

The tiredness in his older brother's eyes soon turned into awareness and he sat up as well. "Good morning, Sasuke."

The younger of the two disliked the distance that he felt building up between them and he glomped his brother, pushing him down on the bed again. "Isn't it uncomfortable to sleep with your uniform on, nii-san?"

Itachi smiled slightly. "I'm used to it." He stood up and started taking it off. "Don't you think kaa-san has breakfast ready by now?"

Sasuke nodded and jumped up, heading towards the kitchen. He probably didn't even notice his sibling's sentimental stare after him. In his world everything was alright. "I'll go check it out."

After breakfast Itachi was immediately caught by their father who wanted to discuss an important mission with him. Sasuke was left on his own, feeling alone and abandoned. His father never had time for him.

He wasn't really sure what happened last night, and he had been a bit puzzled when he woke up with a small bruise on the back of his neck, but he decided that it was just another precious moment together with his beloved nii-san, and he was going to save it in his mind and only think about it when he was really sad. He found himself drawn to his brother's room again and stopped right inside the door. He breathed deeply of the reassuring scent that was lingering all over the room, and he was so glad that Itachi had the day off.

He got sight of the elder's mission equipment on the bed that he hadn't put away properly yet. Once again Sasuke wondered if he ever would be able to go on a mission with his brother or if he was silly for imagining and dreaming about such things. After all, Itachi would always be so many years ahead of him. How would Sasuke ever be able to catch up?

His thoughts drove his steps further in the room, and his curiosity got the best of him when he got a sight of something that was shining slightly in the light from the sun. The young Uchiha slowly walked closer while he listened intensely for any sounds. He had his eyes set on his brother's sword in its case. Still there was not a sound from the hallway and he couldn't stop his hands from reaching out… and before he knew it, he had pulled the sword out. His heart was pounding strongly in his chest from the sensation of doing something he knew was forbidden, and he immediately dropped the sword on the bed.

Sasuke swallowed a gasp and stared at the katana. It was a beautiful thing, he must have admitted. The metallic was shining and the razor sharp edge was perfectly rounded and shaped at the top. He was suddenly overwhelmed by a strong desire to touch it. He could imagine himself in the future, standing at Itachi's side and wielding this sword, successfully protecting their country against all enemies...

He knew that he wasn't allowed to... but it wouldn't hurt to just touch it, right?

Sasuke reached out and gently traced his fingers over the patterned hilt. How would it feel to lift it up, to feel its weight in his hand as he raised it... and all the power he would have all of a sudden. Just as much power as Nii-san had.

His eyes were again drawn to the shiny metallic and he let go of the handle. He traced his fingers along the grey steel instead, gaping at how utterly smooth and yet hard the metallic felt. His fingers stopped at the tip. With utmost care he touched it carefully, amazed over the sword's beauty and how _sharp _that edge must be...

"Sasuke."

The quiet voice behind him made him jump and he accidentally thrust his index finger against the blade, cutting a deep wound. Surprised he turned around to face Itachi at the door. He quickly hid his hands behind his back, hoping that his brother wouldn't notice anything.

"What were you doing, little brother?" Itachi asked with raised eyebrows and stepped into the room. His eyes quickly found the exposed sword and he frowned. Sasuke swallowed nervously.

"What have I said about touching my weapons, Sasuke? They are not to play with."

The older boy's tone was slightly reprimanding, but still soft. He wasn't the one to scold and argue like their father, and although he was swift in discipline he never said anything without thinking and he often let Sasuke get away with whatever he had done.

"I-I'm sorry nii-san", the younger boy answered and bit his lips. His finger ached terribly.

"Let me see your hand", Itachi demanded and walked over to him.

Sasuke's eyes widened. "What are you talking about?"

He followed his brother's gaze to the sword, where a single drop of blood was slowly sliding down the metallic.

The child reluctantly held out his hand and when he saw the deep cut from which blood was greedily oozing, his legs suddenly felt very unstable. Itachi put a hand on his shoulder and calmly guided him to his bed. "Sit down and don't move, I'll be right back."

He returned with the same first aid kit he had used when Sasuke had been beaten at school and started to clean his wound.

"Take a deep breath, otouto", Itachi inquired when he saw his brother's discomfort. "Everything will be fine; the wound is not as deep as it seems."

"I'm sorry nii-san", Sasuke repeated guiltily. All he ever did was to cause Itachi more trouble. "Look, I'm ruining your sheets with my bleeding. Kaa-san will get angry."

His brother leaned forward and kissed his forehead softly. "Don't worry, I'll talk to her. And it's not me you should apologize to, look at your little finger", he added playfully and smiled a bit. He had patched it carefully and Sasuke could breathe more freely.

"Will you promise me, otouto", Itachi placed his index finger and thumb on Sasuke's chin and lifted his face up a bit, "that you will stay away from such dangerous things from now on?"

"I promise, aniki", Sasuke muttered ashamed. "I didn't mean to..."

"Good. I don't want you to get hurt", Itachi said and rewarded his brother with a poke in his forehead.

As Sasuke rubbed the abused spot a bit and half-heartedly glared at his brother, Itachi lifted him into his lap. Sasuke made himself comfortable and grabbed his hand. However, they were interrupted a moment later when an obviously annoyed Fugaku showed up at the door.

"Itachi", he spoke out impatiently.

His oldest son looked at him with a sudden blank expression. "Hn?"

"We need to talk about the mission tomorrow. Changed plans."

Itachi gently lifted Sasuke aside and stood up, still wearing that expressionless façade that his little brother despised.

Fugaku didn't seem to notice Sasuke's presence at all. "Our spies have been a good help. The group we planned to ambush is making its move tomorrow night and we must be there before and stop them."

"I was told my job was to only scare them away", Itachi said emotionlessly.

Sasuke listened wonderingly. He had a feeling that Itachi was angry, but he was unsure due to the fact that his brother still appeared completely calm on the outside.

Fugaku's Sharingan appeared. "Your 'job' – your mission – has changed. You will go there tomorrow and finish them all off. No survivors allowed."

Sasuke's eyes went wide. He started to understand what this was about now, and he watched the two men with curiosity and dread, wondering what would happen next. His brother stood tall and with straight back in front of their father, but Sasuke knew something was boiling beneath the surface.

Fugaku's eyes turned back into their original color when he was met by no resistance. He made something similar to a shrug as he turned away. Sasuke almost expected him to say "dismissed" or something like that, but he just walked away.

The youngest Uchiha waited and counted the seconds in silence. Suddenly he wished that he had not witnessed this. He watched Itachi sit down on the bed and the emptiness in his eyes was deeper than he ever had seen before. Sasuke crawled into his lap hesitantly, wondering if his brother would push him away. Itachi remained still as if he was no longer aware of his presence.

"Nii-san."

After a long pause, the older boy finally looked at him.

"What did father mean?" Sasuke asked quietly. One of his hands carefully toyed a bit with one of his brother's bangs, but Itachi didn't seem to notice.

"He didn't mean it like that, right? Did he mean... that you have to kill those people?"

Sasuke was feeling more and more unsure when his brother did not immediately comfort him or calmed him down. Itachi simply looked at him with that locked up kind of sorrow, and the younger was afraid. "But-but you only kill the bad guys, right nii-san? Like the burglars and the thieves… the murderers …"

Sasuke could feel the distance between them widen even more, opening up an abyss of things that didn't need to be told. His hands fell down in his lap and he looked at Itachi, searching for a glimpse of comfort or a smile, telling him that he just had gotten things wrong like usual. But there was none. Images flashed briefly in his mind – his brother at the door with his katana on his back, going out on another mission. And Sasuke had thought he was a hero. But in reality -

He slowly stood up, feeling that his brother had built a solid wall around himself and was not letting anyone in.

Itachi on the other hand had had enough of lies. Why lie to Sasuke even more, why deceive him every minute of the day? The kid deserved to know, at least this. That his big brother wasn't the perfect hero he always had looked up to.

It took all his strength to look at him, but Itachi managed. "It's true." His voice was quiet and lashed with emotions. "I do not only kill the 'bad guys', Sasuke. Some of them… are innocent."

_And that's my reality, a reality I cannot escape from. _

Shock and disbelief sweeping over his little brother's cute face, two pairs of obsidian eyes widening. Sasuke struggled to keep down the small gasp in the back of his throat – how had he never known? Why… how?

Itachi's eyes was open and emphasizing his words. There was no maliciousness, no sadness. Only acceptation. Like the mindless tool he had been taught to become.

Sasuke avoided his gaze. "I- I don't understand –" He left the room a moment later, wanting to avoid everyone. He hurried out of the house and walked aimlessly around in the Uchiha district. He did not know why he was struggling to keep his tears back all of a sudden, but there was something with the raw, open wound inside of his brother that he could get a glimpse of in his eyes that broke Sasuke down too.

His steps led him to the small lake not far away from home where he had practiced his fire ball jutsu a couple of months ago. He felt ice-cold inside.

Nii-san. Not nii-san. Gentle. Tender, Wonderful, Beloved Amazing Adorable Heroic Unstoppable Strong Nii-san.

Sasuke's big brother.

Why?

He sat down on the edge of the dock and looked deep into the water.

How could nii-san be a killer?

Sasuke had never been afraid of his brother. He could see his brother coming home bloody and red-eyed but he had never had any second thoughts about it. He had been playing around his brother while he cleaned his katana or trained, and he had never felt a single ounce of fear. Because Nii-san would never hurt him, right?

But to think that Itachi had killed innocent people... taken innocent lives... even if it was a mission.

How could he?

How?

"Sasuke."

With a small gasp the child turned around. He only caught the form of his sibling standing a couple of yards behind him before he turned around again, not wanting to look at him. Or was he... afraid?

He'd never thought it would come a day when he would fear his brother. But everyday something was changing between them.

Sasuke could feel Itachi's eyes in his back and he swallowed hard. He was overwhelmed by guilt but at the same time so confused. _After all things he has done for you... how can you resent him?_

Even though he was upset, he still loved Itachi so deeply that he couldn't even stand himself. Sasuke couldn't stop his thoughts from getting a bit egoistic… a bit too selfish. But after all, love is selfish. His dad had told him so.

He was struck by those thoughts he wanted to be ashamed of, but somehow he couldn't. That all those people his brother would kill… they wouldn't matter, if he didn't know them.

Itachi sat down beside him without saying a word. He was careful with keeping his distance as if he thought that Sasuke would run away if he came too close. It saddened Sasuke even more to realize the now physical distance between them, and he wondered for how long his brother had been following him.

"Are you afraid of me?" Itachi's voice was quiet and grave, melting into the bones of his sibling.

The younger raven-haired boy looked up at the elder and everything he saw was the sorrow filled eyes of his beloved brother, eyes that held nothing but guilt, regret, pain and longing. And Sasuke was once again convinced that his big brother was a good human.

Suddenly he was sure. To him it didn't matter.

He smiled a bit and the ache in his heart eased somewhat. Yeah, he was going to say exactly what it meant – that Nii-san could count him in. Sasuke would never stop believe in him.

But the thing that shocked him thoroughly was the sob that racked through his sibling's body in the next moment. He looked up, only to see Itachi's shoulders droop and tremble as if an invisible weight was placed over them. Sasuke had never ever seen him cry before and it was scaring. Itachi was his safe rock during the storm, his protector. Itachi shouldn't cry. But yet he did.

Tears were spilling out of the older boy's eyes and he lowered his head, making no attempt to wipe them away. Nothing mattered anymore, nothing but the person he knew he was never going to have. He had been taught for so many years to suppress his tears – being told repeatedly how shameful his sorrow was, and how a man was never ever supposed to cry.

But his heart was bleeding inside, covering him with the blood of his wounds. He looked down at his trembling hands that was longing for his brother's smaller body, to hold him close. Itachi had never pitied himself, but he didn't stop himself from gritting his teeth and letting the sadness overwhelm him now. He cursed himself for being born, for existing, for ruining Sasuke's life like this.

Sasuke on the other hand was appalled. It must be his fault that Nii-san was crying. He must have hurt him so bad in all his childishness. He hated himself for being such a crybaby and causing all this trouble once again. If he was the only one that had the power to make Itachi cry…

"I'm sorry Nii-san", he whispered and reached up. "I'm so sorry, please don't cry." Sasuke inwardly cursed himself for how weak and childish he sounded. His voice was tiny and high-pitched, surely not giving any comfort to Itachi.

Itachi didn't look at him; he stared at his hands with eyes full of self-hate. "I am worthless. I don't deserve to be your brother. I am nothing but a liar, and when I do tell the truth I just end up losing."

Sasuke took a deep breath. He didn't know what to do anymore; he was beyond the state of being shocked. He moved a tiny bit closer to his brother and he wanted nothing but to erase that broken expression on his face. Itachi had called him foolish, but now Sasuke wanted to tell Itachi how foolish _he _was. Sasuke had already made up his mind, he was not going to blame those cruel actions on the person he loved the most. He was always going to forgive, like his mom had taught him.

He waited until Itachi calmed down slightly and then reached up and poked his forehead.

"Foolish older brother. Did you really think I would stop loving you because of this?" Sasuke's voice was slightly trembling, but it didn't crack. Itachi turned his gaze towards him, finally. _At least I'm your little brother. I've learned to do like you do, and I will always have you as my role model. _

The older boy's eyes were big and shocked and his tears had frozen for a moment. Sasuke could only admire his beauty mindlessly, the beautiful weasel with crystal tears in the corners of his eyes, the fragileness of Itachi's gaze and his slightly trembling lips.

The younger raven-haired tried his best to smile. He tried to act grown-up because he knew that his brother needed him now. And his voice was not weak anymore. He kept his eye contact with his brother and smiled.

"I'm not afraid of you. I know… that it's your duty to do your missions, nii-san. And in the end it is to protect everyone in the village; all the kids, the grown-ups and all the cats and dogs…"

Itachi stared dumbfounded at him for some more seconds, before Sasuke was pulled into a bone-crushing hug. He nuzzled his brother's tear-stained cheek and felt happy that he was able to comfort the elder for a change. He reached up and patted his sibling's cheek, in private slightly satisfied by being able to poke _him _for the first time. "Don't cry, nii-san, I'm here."

And more than he knew, his warm heart was exactly what Itachi needed to be able to recover.

"Otouto… I…"

Sasuke remembered how his brother always used to comfort him and he didn't waste a moment. "Hush, aniki. Don't say anything."

Itachi just rested his forehead against his, feeling his sorrow fade away.

Nothing could compare to the feeling of holding his little brother in his arms, shielding him. All he ever wanted was to make Sasuke happy, to keep him safe. He would change the structure of the very world just for him, and even if he was unable to do almost anything of what he wanted to do for him, he would still try. And at least Sasuke would always have him, no matter if he knew it or not. Yes, Itachi would be having him in arms just like this, and he would remember this moment for the rest of his miserable life. Their hearts were beating in sync now, and they were safe.

**xxx**

Something in Itachi's past had changed him for his whole life. He was a pacifist and he would work for peace no matter what. He couldn't allow war to ever happen again. Not as long as he was alive.

He still couldn't understand why the leaders of the Leaf, the Sand and the Stone just couldn't sit down and talk things out with each other. Why did they have to invade each other's countries and destroy so many lives? He still remembered everything so clearly, from those years before Sasuke was born, the Third Great Ninja war.

He could see it for his inner vision still - the dead and wounded bodies, the burning bombed houses, the screams from people who got caught in the crossfire. The sky that always seemed crimson – they never knew where the attack could come from – above or from the ground.

People they used to call friends could turn out to be traitors. Traitors that sacrificed the lives of their neighbors and friends to save their own skin. Itachi remembered everything as if it had been yesterday, the constant horror lingering in the air during that time and for months after the war's end. Wasn't it over yet? Enemy ninjas, soldiers everywhere, people got killed just because they happened to walk on the wrong street at the wrong time. And the explosions, when houses where bombed often without any selection.

The bad thing about being spared from a bombing was to realize who hadn't been. Which of their neighbours had died this time?

Those experiences for a genius four-year-old had changed his view of the world for the rest of his life. There was nothing Itachi despised as much as violence, fights and war. He always believed in a better way out. He had a hard time understanding why people just used violence instead of words. They were able to talk and use their mouths to solve conflicts, so why not do? Why use weapons?

His father would have called him naïve for not understanding that reason. _Sometimes, violence is the only way out, son, _Fugaku would say. Itachi could agree with him on some points, like when some of his clan fellows accused him falsely and refused to understand, but not completely.

Violence is not a solution. Lost lives, shattered families, crying orphans is not a solution. An unstable country without money, food, schools or a leader is not a solution. It's a terror. Itachi learned this at a very young age - war is a trauma without any winners. And he was prepared to slaughter his own family to let the village win, to give the war a winner to save the rest of the country.

The decision he would take a couple of months later _was_ based on violence and pure slaughter, although he would regret his whole life why he didn't talk to Sasuke about it and tried to change his parents will with words while still could. The massacre was to stop a war, but there could have been a better way out. Still they all carried the dream of a world in peace deep inside of them. A safe world.

He was so happy that Sasuke had been born into a world of peace; that his little brother was able to walk on the streets without the risk of being killed. War was never Sasuke's reality. To him, it was merely a word. Something one could play in the playground together with friends.

But it had been Itachi's reality. To him, the memories and the hurt would always remain, but he knew that the human memory was very merciful. Soon, but not yet, the horrors would fade and lose their color, sent to a distant part of his mind.

Itachi had thought that he would never be able to love somebody again after the war, not even himself, but he loved Sasuke more than his own life. It must mean something. He would hold on to that feeling in the future when they were ripped apart. He would never let go.

.

**xxxxx**

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**Please guys, com'on and review! This story gets so many hits but there's so few people reviewing each chapter! Dx**

**See you next time!**


	19. Framed

**A/N: Okay, so I know there was a while since I updated. I have focused a lot on my other fics, but I do will finish this story.  
**

**This chapter wasn't included in my original plan; it's one of my requested fics. This one, "Framed" was requested by Vengeance-of-the-snow-flake on Tumblr.  
This is dedicated to all my readers for being so fucking awesome, lovely people. I love you all! **

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**19. Framed  
**

A dark blue sky above, night hovering over the city. Sasuke sat leaned back in his big bed in his apartment and looked out through the large glass window beside him. It gave him a clear overview of the big city and it was oddly comforting to be watching everything from above.

One could wonder what such a young and good-looking boy was doing all alone in such an expensive apartment, having no one but himself. No one knew the secrets behind his name.

Sasuke's slender fingers were drawing invisible patterns over the framed photo in his hands. Even now he couldn't keep himself from smiling when he remembered old times. It might be the past, but he still enjoyed the memories as if it was today.

But he missed someone so bad, wishing that the distance between them would disappear. It was hurtful to think about it, but he knew how to wait.  
When he looked at the photo, he could feel everything that he had felt back then when they had been together. His lover brother, his very own Aniki.

Sasuke let go of the photo and stretched out like a cat on the bed, yawning. He always felt so restless nowadays, constantly waiting. He was counting the days until he got to see his brother again.

He spent every minute of the day thinking about him, wondering what he was doing in this exact moment. And he would wait for a million years if it meant that he could see Itachi smile towards him again. Sasuke would go anywhere, no matter how far, if they could be together.

His heart was waiting, always waiting. Sasuke would never let him down.

Turning nineteen years old had been a tough period for Sasuke, especially when Itachi's work required that he was away from him much and often.

Sasuke sighed softly and buried his face in the soft sheets, pulling his shirt off him. He really should get some sleep. But it would be impossible to fall sleep with that feeling in the bottom of his stomach, slight nervousness. Itachi would come home in two days.

Sasuke still wanted to think of it like that, although his brother had been forced to get an own apartment far away. It was more like 'visiting'. But Sasuke would still toss and turn days before, dreaming about his big brother.

Now he was lying sprawled on the bed with only his pants on, longing horribly. Soon… if only Itachi would be here right now… Sasuke hadn't even turned off the lights, and he lazily reached out for the switch when his phone started vibrating.

Throwing himself off the bed to get it, he ended up on the fluffy rug on the floor with crossed legs, answering the call.

"Itachi?"

The voice felt so close, filling him up with happiness. "Otouto…"

"Where are you?" Sasuke could feel his heart beat faster with anticipation. "Nii-san…"

But what his brother said next thoroughly shocked him.

"I'm sorry, but I won't be able to be at your place the time we decided."

The younger boy felt his heart drop to his feet instantly as well as his mood. Nervousness had now turned into sadness and sick disappointment. Itachi… wasn't going to come?

"But you said…"

"I know what I said, otouto. I'm so sorry, but something came my way."

Sasuke fought the sudden temptation to throw the phone across the room. His heart felt heavy with disappointment. "Well, okay then", he said, keeping his tone neutral. But he knew that Itachi could see straight through his cool façade, and it was saddening him even more.

"I will hurry to get to you as fast as possible", the older brother promised. "I –"

"Sure", Sasuke muttered and hang up. He sat completely still for a moment, staring at the phone in his hand.

Dammit, why did he have to be so sensitive? And why did Itachi… that fucking asshole!

No sleep this night either.

Sasuke clenched his teeth. There was a violent storm inside, and only a fraction of it was shown on his face. All their plans… dammit, dammit, dammit.  
Itachi was not going to come. Sasuke tried to deal with it, trying to act like the grown-up man he actually was. He stood up, putting his phone on the night stand.

He tried to breathe deeply, but it was impossible to deal with the disappointment. He saw his treasured photography lying innocently on the bed where he left it, and it made him even angrier. Suddenly he wanted to crush something. Flip a table, do anything to take out his feelings. He picked up the photography and stared at it for a moment.

Then he threw it across the room with full force, watching it hit the mirror in the other end of the room and fall to the floor together with pieces of broken glass.

"Dammit!" Sasuke cursed loudly. Then he sank down on the floor, clutching his head in his hands. No words could describe how much he missed his brother, how much he had looked forward to see him again. Suddenly he just wanted to sob like a kid, calling out for his Nii-san. He was alone. Suddenly he just felt so abandoned, ignored and left behind by everyone. No one cared about him. No one, except one person…

Sasuke let his fingers touch his cheeks gently and imagined that it was another person who was stroking his face. He heard his own breathing and pretended that it was Itachi's.

Damn that bastard for making Sasuke fall even harder for him.

Suddenly he heard light footsteps behind and a soft, slightly sad voice speaking out: "I'm surprised you didn't like the photography."

Sasuke flinched and spun around. Itachi was kneeling down by the broken photography on the ground and gently examined it, freeing it from the pieces of glass from the mirror.

The younger boy stood up as his brother straightened up and stepped forward.

Sasuke rushed forward, throwing his arms around the elder's neck and hugging him with a suffocating force.

"You bastard", he gasped while clinging to his brother, covering his face with kisses. Itachi immediately responded and kissed Sasuke deeply while wrapping his arms around him lovingly. They kissed for a couple of minutes straight without pulling apart for breathing, and then Sasuke muttered: "Why… you said you weren't able to get to me…"

Itachi looked at him with that tender expression he only gave his little brother and said softly: "I just couldn't wait anymore. I've been apart from you for far too long, Sasuke. And about the thing that came my way… I actually have something to tell you that is very important."

He lifted his little brother up bridal style and carried him to the double bed in the room. He dropped Sasuke gently on the bed and climbed up on top of him, "Something that couldn't wait. I should have told you at once… but I don't want to give you a promise I can't keep."

Sasuke was watching him intensely and Itachi cupped his face in his hands. "You know that I love you more than anything, otouto."

The younger boy nodded, feeling much calmer now. His Aniki was with him and there was no problem in the world they couldn't solve.

Itachi smiled softly at him before he bent down and kissed him gently on the lips.

"Do you want to marry me, Sasuke?"

The younger ravenette froze, staring up into the confident, warm eyes of his brother.

"But…"

Itachi put his index finger over his lips gently. "Hush. I know what you are thinking about, otouto. But I know a place where we can go together, where people like us are allowed to be together in public. Don't worry about any single thing, I won't leave you again."

Sasuke's eyes widened slightly. "Does it mean that you won't have to be away for months ever again?"

"Yes", Itachi answered. He seemed much happier than usual, and it was affecting the younger boy too. Sasuke pulled his brother closer and hugged him tightly.

"I love you, nii-san. I want to be one with you in every way."

Itachi suddenly reached out for something in his pocket. He showed Sasuke a neat black box and opened it.

"A… ring?" Sasuke was confused. His brother usually didn't give him gifts like this.

Smiling lovingly towards him, Itachi held up a gleaming engagement ring. It was a real pretty thing Sasuke had to admit although he wasn't into jewelries in particular. It must have cost Itachi a fortune.

"You didn't have to –" he began, but his brother shifted weight slightly on top of him and gently lifted his hand. Looking deep into Sasuke's eyes he put the silver ring on his finger and then kissed it gently.

Sasuke looked at the ring and found a small inscription on it: the letters _I&S_ neatly entangled in a swirly font. He suddenly got a lump in his throat. His brother always did everything for him, doing thousands of small things just to show his affection.

"Nii-san" he began, but fell silent when he felt Itachi's hands slip down to his waist and gently start undoing his pants. Itachi kissed his naval gently and then his lips started their journey downwards. The two brother's were complete, alone in their own world of perfection.

The photography was left on the floor; the glass on the frame was broken. But what was on it, that is Itachi's and Sasuke's framed secret.

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**A/N: Feedback is always welcome!**


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